Ironic Circumstances
by Sy Druid
Summary: They knew being involved with one another was risky, but Riku and Sora couldn't have known of what was to come. A trip to the capital, horrifying secrets, and one big tangled web of connections and complications awaited the boys. RikuXSora.New summary
1. Monday

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts belong to Square-Enix and Disney. I am a poor college student, so please don't sue me.

**Author's Note: I was watching some random movie and was inspired to write this up. Hopefully people will like it and maybe I'll continue. Enjoy!**

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 1**

**Monday**

The phone rang throughout the house, stirring up the residents and aggravating a particular silver haired teen. Riku opened a single eye, looking over at his desk to read 8:02 a.m. on his black rectangular alarm clock. The annoying sound died after two rings, so either the person calling decided they had dialed the wrong number or Riku's mother decided to pick up. It didn't matter to Riku, he was awake and that's all that mattered. He let out a yawn as he threw the covers aside, allowing the morning chill to settle on his half naked body. Dressed in only a pair of emerald green pajama bottoms, the silver haired boy got up and made his way to the bathroom down the hall. His long hair was all over the place, a few locks managed to become knots during the night.

"Riku!" came a voice from the first floor. He stopped mid step and responded grudgingly.

"Yeah?"

"Get your butt in the shower otherwise were going to be late!"

Riku rolled his eyes, the harmless threat reminding him what today was. It was Monday, the beginning of an interesting week. Fumbling with the knob to the bathroom, Riku managed to get inside and shut the door with a little too much force.

"I don't hear water running!" Yunalesca shouted through the house. Riku rubbed the remaining grogginess from his eyes as he fixated his gaze on the mirror's reflection. He couldn't help but smile at what he saw.

"Riku, you are one sexy piece of ass," he told himself, grinning devilishly as he jumped out of his pajama bottoms and into the shower. He turned the knobs until water began to pour from the showerhead, surprising him when it was a bit to cold for his liking. But soon the water adjusted and he melted into the warmth of the water. Riku lathered shampoo into his hair and struggled with the knots for a while. After fifteen minutes his hair was untangled and he was out of the shower, clean and ready to go. He reached for a blue towel off the rack and placed it around his waist, water sliding down his chest and meeting the lines defining his abs. Riku knew he was good looking, everyone knew he was good looking. He loved the attention he got as he strolled down the halls of Destiny Islands Academy, watching the blushing looks coming from the girls, and even the secretive glances some of the boys tried to hide. He didn't mind Riku loved it all. The silver haired boy walked out of the bathroom and back into his room, digging in his drawers for a pair of clean underwear. Finding a pair he liked, Riku slipped into them before tossing the towel aside, landing next to a pile of dirty clothes collecting in the middle of the room. He took another look at his alarm clock, rolling his eyes at the large red numbers.

"Today's the big one…" he trailed off. But it wasn't any regular Monday, not at all. It was the day his parents signed the dreaded papers, the only thing left to do to dissolve their relationship. That's right; Riku's parents were just about to conclude with their divorce. It was bound to happen, the countless arguments over the past year, the extended business trips his father justified with excuses like "our flight got delayed" or "it was an emergency meeting". Riku wasn't stupid, nor was his mother. You either had to be blind or a plain idiot to not figure out that his father was having an affair. Riku would often hear his mother cry at night, standing outside her bedroom door, listening to her quiet sobs while his dad was off in the capital, on "business". The silver haired teen grew to hate him, for the pain he had caused them, and for all the bullshit he tried feeding them. Riku may be a bit cocky, but he cared about his mother more than anything and the thought of her suffering made his blood boil. But today that would be over, and Baralai would soon be out of the family picture. Not wasting anymore time, Riku went through his closet and pulled out a pair of ripped blue jeans and a fitted white shirt. Throwing the clothes on quickly, Riku left his room and made his way down the stairs and into the kitchen where his mother was busily sipping away at her coffee. He walked up to her and gave her a peck on the cheek, taking a cup from one of the cupboards and reaching for the coffee pot.

"I don't think you should be drinking coffee at your age Riku," Yunalesca firmly declared, tentatively reaching for the glass pot herself. "Its highly addictive and you should stay away from it."

Riku scoffed, "And every morning, you make enough coffee for two people, how convenient mom."

Yunalesca ruffled Riku's still wet hair, pulling back and wiping her hand on Riku's jeans.

"Hey, I'm no rag! These are expensive," Riku dragged out.

"Oh shut it Riku, I don't care about your designer clothes. Honestly, they're a waste of money."

"Like you should talk mom," Riku retaliated, completely offended by the remark, "Don't pretend I didn't see you with a new Prada bag just the other day."

Yunalesca hid behind her cup, a slight blush creeping along her cheeks. "My, what have I done to you Riku?"

And then the phone rang. Yunalesca's smile died as she reached for the receiver hanging next to the archway leading into the living room. Riku poured himself the remaining coffee in the pot and took a sip, the look sprawled across his face a clear sign that sugar was needed.

"Hello?" Yunalesca said into the phone, placing her cup on the counter next to her.

Riku watched as the conversation continued for a few minutes, eventually ending and the receiver hanging back up on the wall. Yunalesca let out a sigh, glancing over at Riku with a small frown.

"That was your father's attorney, it seems that they changed our appointment until this afternoon."

Riku narrowed his eyes, knowing he wouldn't be able to get out of his first couple classes after this bit of news. "Did dad change it?"

Yunalesca shrugged, running a hand along her long strands of silver hair dangling above her head. "Most likely."

"I guess I should head to school then, since we're obviously not going to get this over with until after classes."

"Riku…please, it's just a couple of hours. Bear with me, it'll be over soon."

"Yeah…"

Yunalesca have her son a hug, sending him back upstairs for a quick wardrobe change. As he walked, Riku remembered the phone ringing when he first woke up and opted to ask who was calling.

"Oh, I totally forgot. It was the mayor, he asked if we had seen Kairi. Apparently she never came home last night."

"Kairi?" Riku muttered throwing his bedroom door open. When did she ever come home should be the better question. He knew exactly where she was, hanging out with that college student Seifer. Being the mayor's daughter had its perks, everyone knew who you were, and everyone kissed up to you to be liked or popular. She used to have a thing for Riku, but he never showed any interest whatsoever. So, she figured dating someone outside of high school would be more fitting. Riku stripped out of his pricey clothes and grabbed his school uniform sitting at the edge of his bed. In a matter of seconds he was dressed in a simple button up white shirt and light blue pants, the ugliest uniform Riku had ever seen. He left his room for the millionth time that morning and made his way to the door.

"Hey Riku, I'll come pick you up so leave your car in the parking lot," Yunalesca said as Riku walked out the door.

"Fine, whatever, see you after school mom."

Riku closed the door behind him, digging in his pocket for his keys. He walked over to his white Audi, unlocking it and making himself comfortable against the leather seat. His backpack was still sitting in the back, apparently homework wasn't something he really cared about. Turning the key in the ignition, the Audi burst into life and soon he was out of the driveway, and on his way to the academy.

X

Riku walked up the steps to his first and most hated class, advanced physics. It wasn't really his choice to take it, but Baralai threatened with taking away his car if he didn't sign up for the class at the beginning of the year. Now, Riku could care less and really had no reason for even attending it. But he figured since he made it to April without failing, then it might be worth just finishing. The bell rang, signaling to everyone that they had better get to class. Riku bumped his way through the door, earning him a couple of glares from some seniors. He didn't care, he knew they wouldn't say anything to him. Riku sat towards the back of the room, sitting himself on the uncomfortable stools and throwing his backpack aside as students continued to walk in. Tidus saw the silver haired teen sitting by himself and made his way to the seat next to him.

"What's up Riku?" the blonde asked, taking out his notebooks and readjusting the collar on his shirt. "Goddamn this thing!" he cursed, itching where the collar was annoying him.

"I know exactly how you feel," Riku responded. "Wish I could burn it, and I can," he said pointing at the acids in brown bottles behind a locked cabinet.

Tidus laughed, "Yeah, and I bet the girls would love to see what's under those clothes."

Riku rolled his eyes, "Tidus, I've already told you, I don't suck cock, so forget about it. I'm never going to sleep with you."

The blonde felt a lump catch in his throat as a fiery blush spread across his face. "That-that's a fucking lie and you know it Riku. You've totally slept with guys before."

The silver haired teen looked around, hoping nobody caught the blonde's words. He turned to his shorter friend, glaring at him like a snake would to its prey. "And you would know?"

Tidus regained his composure and fought back. "I do, seeing that we've shared a guy," he said with a sly grin.

Riku raised an eyebrow. "What? Who did you sleep with?"

Tidus' eyes were glittering with the excitement over having something on the taller boy. "Cloud," he whispered.

Riku tensed up, his hands gripping the hem of his shirt tightly. Tidus wore a triumphant smile, turning from the silver haired teen to the front of the class and concentrating on the blank chalkboard.

"You're sick Tidus, to think you went after my sloppy seconds," he muttered, just loud enough for him to hear. The blonde turned, his winning smile gone and replaced by a scowl.

"Fuck you Riku," he said before grabbing his things and moving to a different seat. Riku didn't care, Tidus would come right back to him later in the day. The teacher asked for silence as class began, leaving Riku to wander aimlessly in his mind for the rest of the period.

X

"Alright…Sora was it? I'm afraid that this puts you in quite a predicament. It's already April, and you're deciding to transfer at this point?"

Sora, 16 years old, and newest resident of the rural islands of Destiny Islands was sitting in the principal's office, listening to the same speech two other schools had given him already.

"Yeah, Mr. Seymour, this is my last chance. I've already talked to the other schools and none of them would take me. So, I'm asking you, please accept me here. I don't feel like wasting more of my time."

The blue haired principal looked at the brunet with curiosity, noticing the Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses sitting comfortably on his head. Destiny Islands Academy was a private school, so it wasn't unusual for the students to come from wealthy families. And by the looks of the brunet, it appeared that he too came from money. Sora was shaking his knee slightly, waiting for the principal to either kick him out or accept him.

"Very well, Sora. I will overlook your transfer credits, and see what classes would benefit you at this point. But be aware that you are at a huge disadvantage and will have to work hard to catch up. Now, I need your parents' signatures on some of the forms, so please have your mother or father come in."

Sora sighed, glancing out the window. "Sorry Mr. Seymour, but my mother couldn't come with me. She's got some business that she needed to take care of. As for my father…well, he died years ago."

Mr. Seymour was taken back by the last couple words, immediately offering him an apology. "I'm sorry to hear that Sora, but I'm afraid that I can't do anything until your mother signs these forms. You are welcome to walk around the school grounds, but please don't interfere with the classes. I'll have my assistant get you a visitor's pass."

"So…I'm in then?" Sora asked, just wanting to be completely sure.

Seymour chuckled, "Yes, Sora, once your mother signs the forms, you will be accepted into Destiny Islands Academy. Now, please talk to my assistant right outside, she'll issue you a pass."

Sora thanked the older man, shaking hands with him briefly as he walked out the door. There was a blonde haired woman sitting by a shiny mahogany desk, busily typing away at her computer. The brunet walked up to her, coughing slightly as he adjusted the sunglasses on his head. She turned to him, eyeing him up and down before addressing him.

"Yes? Can I help you?"

Sora read the wooden tag sitting on the desk. "Yes, is it Ms. Trepe? Mr. Seymour asked me to get a visitors pass from you. I'd like to see the school grounds."

The blonde haired woman nodded, opening a drawer and pulling out a simple white laminated tag with the school's seal on it. "You have as much time as you need, but please make sure you return the tag when you leave. Would you like me to get you someone to show you around?"

The brunet pinned the tag on his blue and white-stripped shirt, shaking his head at the offer. "No, thank you. I'll be fine on my own."

Sora walked away, leaving the office and beginning his trek through the school.

X

The bell rang, signaling the end of first period class. Riku picked his lazy self from his stool and began putting his things away. Students were filling the halls by the time he left, maneuvering his way around the many bodies he found himself outside in the courtyard. Riku rummaged in his pocket for his cell phone and brought it out, hoping he got some kind of voicemail or text message during the time he spent in class. He cursed when there wasn't anything new, stashing the red phone back into his pocket as he took a seat against one of the many trees in the courtyard. His eyes wandered around, watching the most popular group of seniors chatting and passing around small plastic bags he knew contained some kind of drug. Of course the staff was oblivious to anything going on and students never had a problem doing their dirty trading. Riku saw the varsity blitzball team make their way into the gym off in the distance, a massive building with two pools strictly for blitzball use only. Tidus was among them, already dressed down to a skimpy yellow speedo that curved quite well around his ass. Riku had to admit that the blonde was good looking, but he wasn't interested, and the last thing he wanted to do was sleep with someone that already shared one of his own conquests.

Cloud, captain of the track team, and the most popular senior. Riku grinned, remembering the way he seduced the blonde idiot. It started with a simple game of basketball in Cloud's monstrous backyard, and after beating him in three straight games, they made their way into his house to cool off. Riku knew by the way Cloud bumped into him during their games that he was anything but straight. Cloud offered Riku a bottle of water, tossing it to him and catching it with ease. Riku followed by "accidentally" spilling it on his already soaked t-shirt and asked if he could borrow one of Cloud's shirts. The blonde was more than happy to offer it, motioning for the silver haired teen to follow him upstairs. Once they were inside Riku peeled the shirt off and make himself comfortable on his bed, running a tantalizing finger up his abdomen. And one thing led to another, and, well, the rest could be left to the imagination.

Riku broke out his musings when another bell rang, this time signaling the end of their break. He picked himself up, throwing his backpack lazily against one shoulder as he marched back into the main building. That's when the world stopped, and the oxygen in his lungs felt like it was burning. Riku's sea-foam green eyes met the figure of a brunet, his spiky wayward hair jutting from under a pair of expensive looking sunglasses. He was dressed in a white and blue stripped long sleeve shirt, with a pair of dark blue jeans adorned with a casual tear here and there. Other students were passing by, looking at the foreigner with amusement. It wasn't everyday that someone wearing real clothes walked through their school, especially an underclassmen. Riku bit his bottom lip, wondering who the hell this person was. He wanted to say something, walk up to him and say hello, but he found that his feet would not budge from their spot. The brunet was coming his way, both hands tucked in his pockets as he walked. Riku's eyes met with his as he passed, sharing a few seconds before the brunet continued, ignoring Riku completely and disappearing into another hall. The silver haired teen licked his dry lips, never before had he felt such an intensity in someone's eyes.

"Young man, please head to class," came a voice from behind the teen. He turned to meet the familiar face of Kairi, her blue and white plaid skirt appearing slightly shorter than usual. Her hair was quite long, reaching her mid-back and currently streaked with a couple hot pink highlights.

"Screw you Kairi. I should tell you that your dad called this morning, wondering where the hell you were. Thanks to his call I had to wake up from a most comfortable sleep," he sarcastically strung out.

Kairi tossed her hair, adjusting her Juicy handbag over her shoulder. "Sorry, I should have called you first to let you know that he might end up calling. But I just had to see Seifer last night, he took me out to dinner and then back to his place."

Riku rolled his eyes, deciding to walk to his next class, letting Kairi tag along. "So how was it?" he asked.

Kairi blushed, pulling a strand of hair back. "Amazing, college guys are so much better than all the _children _around here," she responded. "I should introduce you to some of his friends, I think you might like one of them."

"Uh, thanks but no thanks, I'm not interested."

Kairi giggled, "Oh, that's right, you seemed quite smitten with that brunet that stole the spotlight just a minute ago. He's cute, I admit that, but isn't he a little to innocent for you."

Riku turned around, gripping Kairi firmly by the hand. "I've told you not to talk about this while at school," he spat out, letting go of her hand when she winced. A passing girl gave them a weird look before continuing.

"S-sorry Riku, it slipped out," Kairi said, rubbing the spot where he had gripped a bit to hard. "But it's the truth," she whispered, making sure there wasn't anyone else around.

"Kairi, I can't be thinking about stuff like that right now, today's a very important day."

Kairi cocked her head, realizing what it was he meant. "Oh…so…the papers are getting signed today?"

Riku nodded, standing right outside his next class. "Yeah, as of this afternoon my parents are officially divorced and Baralai will be moving his ass out. I can't fucking wait to toss his shit out the window."

Kairi narrowed her eyes. "What an asshole, I would kill whatever guy cheated on me."

Riku scoffed, "Then make sure you keep a good watch on that college boy of yours. Don't think he's not checking other girls out."

Kairi gave him a venomous look. "He wouldn't, Seifer is one girl kind of man."

They talked for a minute or so, Kairi ended up leaving once the second bell had rung. Riku walked through the classroom door, making his way yet again towards the back. He sat there for a while, his mind wandering back to the mysterious brunet he ran into.

"_Who is he?"_

Class seemed so unnecessary at that point.

X

Riku looked at his cell phone, noticing that school had been out for ten minutes already and his mother was nowhere in sight. He was sitting on the front steps, the glistening ocean off in the distance tempting him. A good swim would be pretty good right now, but the most important part of the day was still left. He heard an engine come his way and he turned to see his mother's Mercedes.

"Sorry Riku, got caught up talking with Selphie's mother. That woman can't ever shut up," Yunalesca said as Riku got in. She planted a kiss on his cheek before letting her foot off the brake. "So, how was school today?"

"Same as ever mom, boring, a waste of time, and did I say boring already?"

Yunalesca chuckled as she drove into the main part of the town. "Okay Riku, I get the picture, it sucked."

They remained quiet for a few more minutes, only bothering to speak once they were parked outside city hall. "Well, here we go," Riku said placing an arm around his mom.

Together they walked into the building, asking for the room where they were to have their meeting. They walked down several halls before coming to an open door where a silver haired man dressed in a green suit stood. Riku glared at Baralai, wishing that he would catch fire and nobody would care to help him. Yunalesca walked in, ignoring Baralai completely and shaking hands with the man handling their papers. Riku followed afterwards, situating himself in between his parents. The room was a decent size, so at least he didn't feel like he was suffocating.

"Alright, Ms. Yunalesca, Mr. Baralai, shall we proceed?" The elderly man asked, taking out a folder from within his briefcase. "All the preparations have been done all we need is a single signature from the both of you."

They both took a hold of a pen and were about to sign when a knock could be heard. Riku felt his fingers tense up at the sound.

"I apologize," Baralai responded, setting his pen down and opening the door. "I was hoping this wouldn't happen."

Riku couldn't make out who was standing outside the door and it wasn't until Baralai moved that he felt a sudden mixture of anger, surprise, and overall confusion. Standing right in front of him was a beautiful woman with shoulder length brown hair and dressed in a provocative looking business suit where the skirt was a little too high. And standing right beside him was the same brunet he had seen at school. They exchanged glances, Riku horrified by the confirmation of his worst thoughts.

"_He's the bitch's son…"_

tbc

**So, should I continue? I've got ideas going through my head, I hope you guys like it and maybe I'll see where this goes.**


	2. The Other Side of Monday

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. This highly addictive game belongs to big shot moguls that own my life.

**Author's Notes: I would like to express my gratitude to all the readers and especially to those that left me a review. I still can't believe that it was received with great enthusiasm. Now, this chapter will concentrate on Sora, and how his Monday goes, so things will truly pick up next chapter so bear with me. I just wanted to capture both characters. I dedicate this to all the lovely reviewers!**

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 2**

**The Other Side of Monday**

Sora cursed when he felt the weight of a heavy box fall on his left foot and let go of whatever it was he was carrying. He grit his teeth, quickly rubbing the throbbing spot where the box attacked him without remorse. Sora sighed, taking a look around his new home. There were boxes everywhere in the high story condo, along with several pieces of furniture still covered with protective plastic. The living room was beyond recognition at the moment, but things would be put away eventually and it would regain its original purpose. Sora didn't understand why his mother couldn't simply hire workers to do all the moving for them. He never questioned his ability to do things on his own, but by the way things looked at the moment, Sora didn't mind the thought of being lazy. Sora kicked the murderous box aside as he walked into the open kitchen, taking out a bottle of water and gulping it down all at once. He let out a satisfied sigh, taking the chance to sit back for a second and relax. Sora smiled when his eyes fell on a picture he carefully wrapped up during the move and was now displayed on the kitchen counter. It was a photograph of him dressed in a black and white pinstriped suit, with a soft pink tie, and a matching black fedora hat. Next to him was a blonde boy dressed in a similar colored suit except it was white with black stripes, rather than black with white stripes like Sora's.

"Man…I really miss you Roxas," the brunet said aloud, taking the frame into his hand as he peered into the photo. "I could really use your company around here." Roxas was Sora's best friend, having grown up together since they were in diapers. They went to all the same schools, had all the same friends, and at times, even the same guys. Sora smiled, knowing very well that Axel wasn't the type of guy for him and was happy when the two started going out. The picture he currently held was of their freshman prom, and he laughed at the memory of Axel trying to squeeze his way into the photo, but alas, Roxas threatened him with no dancing and the red haired senior quickly shut up. Sora traced a finger along Roxas' smile before setting the picture aside, glancing at the numbers on the microwave.

"7:05, I guess I should check out the schools around here," Sora declared, tossing the empty bottle in a nearby trash bin. "Since mother is obviously to busy to do it herself," he muttered, knowing very well why the duty was left entirely to him. Sora's mother wasn't a typical parental figure, not in the slightest. At the moment, she was probably with the person behind their move from the capital. The thought of what she was doing made him sick, but he knew there wasn't anything he could do. He was after all, only 16 years old and whatever he said she simply ignored. Sora sighed, shaking the feelings aside momentarily as he reached for his car keys sitting next to a bowl of plastic fruit.

"Alright, let's go see about my education," he said sarcastically.

X

Sora ran a hand through his hair as he left the halls of Balamb Garden High School, the second school to turn him away due to the late academic year. He thrust his hand into his pocket, retrieving his keys as he got into his Mini Cooper and slammed the door in frustration. The brunet was incredibly irritated at this point, having spent the last 40 minutes arguing with the principal over the subject of transferring. Sora lowered his sunglasses from his hair and set them on the bridge of his nose, immediately making the bright day appear dark.

"Fucking school, it's to cheap for my liking anyway," he said turning the ignition. Sora drove away, taking a look at the piece of paper with the name of a private academy the principal had offered him as he stormed out of the office.

"_I apologize Sora, but perhaps you would have better luck at this place."_

"Destiny Islands Academy, sounds more like my place."

X

The brunet let out a sigh of relief as he walked out of Mr. Seymour's office, a white tag pinned against his shirt. It had taken him over two hours, but he finally found a place that would accept him and now he was on an independent trip through the academy, taking a look at the place he would be attending for the next few years. Sora felt something in his pocket vibrate and fished his cell phone out. It was a text message from his mom, asking how the school search was going. Sora didn't bother replying, figuring that she didn't really care and simply sent the message in the first place to appear interested in what it was he was doing. He disliked her, it didn't matter if she had given birth to him, Sora couldn't stand his mother in the slightest bit. After all, what kind of mother would go after a married man and become the cause for a divorce. Furthermore, it was her fault he had to move in the first place. Holly City, the capital of Destiny Islands, was a bustling metropolis and his only home. He loved it there, he had the greatest friends, the best clubs to sneak into with horribly made fake I.D. cards, and simply the only place he really cared for. Now, as he walked down a quiet hall, the feeling of homesickness rattled around in his stomach. There was a sudden shrill ringing and Sora figured it was a bell signaling the end of some class. One by one, doors began to open and students soon filled the once quiet hall he was walking through. There was a string of stares coming his way, piercing looks of confusion that was causing him discomfort. But he didn't let the stares get to him as he continued walking. Instead he plastered a look of complete confidence and boredom as he went on. Sora did have to admit that the academy was beautiful, and seeing the tennis courts gave him a sense that not only was it a private school, but one full of other rich kids. Then again, that was obvious the moment he parked in the student lot and saw the same expensive looking BMW, or Mercedes in a variety of different colors. There was another bell as he walked into a long corridor with a courtyard to his left, a huge open space with curving tropical trees. He could see a group of blitzball players walking and couldn't help but enjoy their current lack of clothing.

"Looks like this place might not be so boring after all," Sora said with a growing grin.

He turned his gaze and his cerulean eyes fell on one of the most gorgeous guys he had ever seen. The boy was tall, with long silver hair and a pair of sea-foam green eyes currently latched onto his own. Sora felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as the taller boy continued staring at him, along with several more confused looks of passing students. Sora turned his head as he walked past the silver haired teen, his eyes still glued to the aqua colored orbs, only to break the gaze as he disappeared into another hall. He let out a deep sigh, never thinking that just looking at someone would cause him to go short of breath.

"_He was…gorgeous."_

Sora turned around just wishing for him to be standing there, to take one more look at him and those eyes. The brunet shook his head, nearly running into a girl with long black hair accompanied by a group of giggling bimbos.

"Watch it!" she lashed out, pretending to dust dirt off her uniform. "I'm walking here, so get out of my way."

Sora stepped aside, raising an eyebrow as the girls walked by, completely turned off by her bitchy attitude.

"I am so glad I am not into girls," he said throwing both hands into the air. "I don't know why anyone would want to deal with that."

Sora's cell began to vibrate again, causing the teen to stop mid step to fish the rectangular object out. His mother was calling, but he spent a second or so deliberating whether to answer or not.

"_Might as well, don't want her to bitch at me later."_

"Yeah?" the brunet said, resting against a wall.

"Sora, you never messaged me back, are things okay?"

"Things are fine, mother, I'm just taking a walk through the academy I'll be attending once you sign the papers for me."

"Oh, that's great dear, now, I'll take care of that later. I was calling to ask if you want to have an early lunch with me?"

"Mom, it's only 9:50, I think early lunch is not the correct wording. I'll be fine on my own, I'll just meet you back home later."

"Sora, no, I need to talk to you before this afternoon, so please humor me and have lunch with me," she said, the tone in her voice changing. "There are a couple things I want to discuss."

The brunet wasn't stupid; he knew exactly what it was she wanted to talk about. "Mom, when are you going to realize that I'm not kid anymore and I know what it is you're doing? If you wanted to talk to me about it, you should have done it before we moved out to this fucking place."

There was a gasp on the other side. Sora knew he just started a storm.

"Watch your mouth Sora," the voice on the other end warned quietly yet harshly, "Don't you ever talk to me that way again. Now, you will meet me outside of Café Le Blanc in half an hour otherwise I will track you down myself. Is that clear?"

Sora flipped his cell, not bothering to respond as he began walking in the opposite direction towards the student parking lot.

"Stupid bitch," he muttered, sensing the oh so familiar feeling of anger towards the woman. "Let's see what mother wants."

X

Sora was sitting outside the little restaurant, an iced latte sitting in front of him untouched. It was now a bit after 10:40 and Beatrix was still not there, leaving Sora to entertain himself by watching the residents of the town. Across the street was a quaint looking shop with some expensive looking clothes on display. Sora immediately remembered seeing his mother wearing one of the exact same outfits on display early in the morning when he first got up. She didn't bother with him when he asked where she had gotten the clothes. Sora's gaze was broken when he distinctly heard a voice addressing him.

"Sir, you haven't touched your latte, is something wrong with it?" a waiter asked as he passed. Sora turned to the attractive looking man and shook his head. "No, it's fine, thank you. I'm just waiting for someone to show up."

"Oh, would it happen to be a woman in her late thirties by any chance?" he asked, scratching the back of his head.

Sora cocked his head in curiosity, "Was she wearing a white business suit?"

"Yes! That's her, she asked me to handle a message for her son, so I take it that's you?"

Sora wasn't surprised, it wouldn't be the first time she asked him to be somewhere only to be left hanging. "What did she say?"

The blonde waiter handed Sora a note, a few neat lines written in black ink. "Sora, I'm sorry I had to cancel our lunch date, but I had an important errand to run. I would have called you, but I know you wouldn't answer. Meet me later at city hall around 3:30 and don't you dare be late." Sora reread the couple sentences before crumpling the message and tossing it on the table. The waiter noticed the act and felt a slight twinge of curiosity.

"Bad news?" he asked, making himself look busy by adjusting the tablecloth.

"_More like_ _a waste of time."_

"I'm not sure, I don't know what goes through my mother's head these days anymore. Sorry if she bothered you."

The blonde simply gave the brunet a grin, causing a slight spark to run up his spine. "It's no biggie," he said taking a look at his watch. "Umm, you know, this is kind of sudden, but I get off work in like, twenty minutes, do you want me to show you around?"

Sora was taken back by the offer; it wasn't every day that a cute blonde waiter suddenly asked him out. He spent a few seconds analyzing him, noticing the reddish-brown scar nestled across the bridge of his nose. "And what makes you think I don't know my way around here?"

The blonde laughed, "Well, it's not everyday that a car with license plates from the capital shows up in these parts. I take it you're going to one of the schools around here?"

Sora nodded, feeling quite comfortable talking with the obviously older guy. "Yeah, I got accepted into Destiny Islands Academy, and let me tell you it was a bitch doing so." The blonde's grin faltered for a split second, but Sora didn't notice it.

"Hey, Seifer, your other table wants their check," another waited pointed out, walking past with several plates in his hands.

"Sorry, I gotta go, but what do you say about afterwards?"

Sora felt accepting the offer wouldn't hurt, and it was either that or going back to the messy condo with the homicidal boxes. "Sure, that'd be cool. So, your name's Seifer?"

"Yeah, Seifer Almasy, and what's yours?"

"Sora," he replied, watching the way Seifer's eyes wandered around his body. "But I think you should take care of those people over there before you get fired."

"Ha, right, so, I'll meet you out here when I'm done then?"

"Yeah, I'll be here."

And Seifer went on his way, leaving Sora to enjoy the iced latte he stupidly forgot about. He took a sip, catching Seifer looking back at him with a sly smile on his lips.

X

Sora and Seifer were walking along the beach, both awfully quiet despite having talked for a bit while at the café. The brunet dragged his feet further into the sand as he walked, wanting to feel the warmth the sand had to offer. Seifer was dressed in a tight long sleeve black shirt with a pair of white shorts sporting an emblem on the back pocket.

"So, how old are you?" Seifer finally asked, breaking the silence. "I can assume that you're not 18 since you're still going to school."

Sora smiled, "Yeah, I'm 16, a weakling sophomore. But what about you, I can definitely see you're older than me."

"I'm 19, I go to the local college around here. It's not to bad, but I love it here, this is where I grew up," he said flicking a stray hair away. "I used to go to Balamb Garden High School, but I ended up dropping out before I could graduate."

Sora cocked his head, listening carefully as Seifer continued. "I got into a fight one time with another guy in my year. It turns out that the girl I was dating was also dating him, so it got out of control."

"_Damn…I guess he likes girls. Oh well, he's still fun to look at."_

"Oh," Sora said, "so that explains the scar."

Seifer chuckled, "Yeah, I used to think of it as my battle scar, but it's only become a constant reminder of how stupid the whole thing was. I dropped out soon after that and didn't bother with school for over a year. Then I decided that my life wasn't going anywhere so I got my G.E.D. and now I'm in college."

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that," Sora apologized feeling the sand becoming colder as they walked closer to the water. "But I'm glad that you're doing well."

"Eh, sorry I even mentioned it. I don't usually talk about my life to people I've just met, but you seem like a pretty cool guy."

Sora could feel a blush creeping on his face, "Thanks, you're not to bad yourself."

"So, Sora, can I ask you something now?"

Sora nodded, feeling it was only fair.

"What are you doing around here? People from the city don't usually move to this place."

The brunet found that the question barely touched the tip of the iceberg, for there was so much more hiding below the water. Formulating an answer was becoming somewhat of a hassle to do.

"It's really complicated, I'm not sure how to explain it. But it's got to do with my mom's personal business. She treats me like a rag doll and drags me along not caring what I think as long as she gets what she wants. I get sick of it. You saw what happened, she left you a note when she couldn't confront me and let me know what she was up to. If I could, I would leave, I would seriously fucking leave."

"Well…" Seifer said, unsure if his opinion would even matter, "What about your dad? Wouldn't you be able to stay with him instead?"

Sora bit his bottom lip, stopping his stride and looking out into the open sea. "My dad died years ago…I was 10 at the time. But…I would rather not talk about that."

Seifer mentally kicked himself for hitting a soft spot and immediately regretted asking the question. He surprised the brunet by putting an arm around his smaller frame, and quickly pulled it away, noticing the look in Sora's eyes.

"Sorry Sora, if I knew I wouldn't have asked."

"_Okay, I take it back, he's into both."_

"No-no, it's okay, I would rather just leave it at that. So what is there to do around here?" Sora asked, quickly turning things into a more comfortable direction.

Seifer shrugged, "Honestly, not a whole lot. There's the mall in town, the beach, but other than that not much else. Well, unless you're 18 then you can go to the only good club around here."

Sora was immediately intrigued by the idea of a club. He and Roxas did spend quite a bit of time in those smoky, dark places. "There's a club? I am so digging my fake I.D. out once I get the chance."

"A fake I.D.?" Seifer asked, wondering what else the brunet did illegally. "And people in the city honestly fell for it?"

"And why wouldn't they? Do you have something against city people?" Sora snapped back sarcastically.

"No, just never really heard of someone having to use a fake I.D." the blonde grinned.

They continued to talk for several hours, from blitzball teams to cars. Eventually they ran out of things to talk about when Sora found himself repeating a question he had asked an hour before. They were standing around Sora's Mini Cooper by the time the brunet figure it was time to head home for a shower before heading to city hall for whatever reason his mother wanted him there. Seifer was definitely taller than Sora and he started feeling slightly uncomfortable being looked down on.

"Thanks for showing me around," Sora said, playing with the keys in his pocket, "I can honestly say you're the first friend I've made around here."

"Heh, well, I'm glad that I could be your first," Seifer replied, completely unaware of the double meaning behind his words. "I'll give you my number in case you ever want to hang out."

Sora nodded, pressing in the numbers on his cell phone. "Well, I gotta go home. You sure you don't need a ride?"

Seifer shook his head, "Naw, I gotta meet a friend of mine in a while, but thanks. I'll see you around then?"

"Definitely," Sora replied back, waving to Seifer as he disappeared down the street. The brunet took another look at his cell, noticing it was now 2:49 p.m. He let out a sigh, knowing that a shower would make him feel ten million times better. Sora placed his sunglasses back on the bridge of his nose as he got into his car, pulling a C.D. from one of the compartments and sticking it into the player. A fast paced song came on, immediately putting him in a good mood as he swayed his head back and forth to the rhythm. As he put the car into drive, he found himself singing to the lyrics.

"I lost my way a long time baby…searching for…searching for you…you don't know….you don't know…"

X

Sora had just walked out of the shower when he noticed a blinking red dot on the phone sitting by the front door. He went up to it and hit a button, a series of tones and clicks later a voice spoke.

"New message, Monday, 3:09 p.m." the electronic voice announced.

"Hello, this is Seymour Claymore from Destiny Islands Academy. This is regarding Sora's registration; I still need several signatures before I can give Sora his class schedule and his uniform. Please drop by tomorrow as soon as possible, it would be in Sora's best interest to start classes right away. Thank you, and have a nice afternoon."

Sora hit the button again, silencing the voice as he continued drying his hair.

"Thanks mother, I bet you never thought about going to the school at all today," Sora muttered, throwing the towel aside. He turned and headed towards his room, his bed the only thing not covered with boxes. Sora dug through one of his suitcases, finding the clothes he wanted and threw them on. The brunet slipped into a pair of sandals he placed underneath his bed and was soon out the door, his mind still wandering what reason he would need to go to city hall for. As he drove around, he kept thinking about the silver haired boy he had seen earlier in the day. The way his eyes looked at him, it sent icy slivers up his spine every time he thought about it. Perhaps once he started classes he would run into him again. Sora stopped at a red light, his mind thinking also about a certain blonde college student. It was awkward at first, hanging out with someone he didn't know, but they did talk for several hours, and Sora could now say he had a friend. There was a beep from behind Sora's car and he noticed the red light was now green and opted to move before anyone behind him decided to get nasty. City Hall was smack dab in the center of town so he didn't have much trouble finding the place, even less trouble when he saw his mom's red Lexus positioned across two parking spaces. He parked close by, watching as she got out of her car and made her way towards him.

"Sora, I told you to not be late!" was the first thing she bothered to say as Sora got out and locked his car.

"Nice to see you to mother," he greeted half assed.

"Don't play innocent, you did this on purpose to make me angry."

Sora rolled his eyes, glad that his sunglasses blocked Beatrix from seeing the action. "Yes, mother, I went home and showered so I would be presentable for you. Is that alright?"

Beatrix grabbed Sora by the hand and began walking in the direction of the entrance to City Hall.

"Let go of me, I'm not a kid," he lashed out, ripping his hand away from her grasp. "Now tell me why the hell you had me come here? And why didn't you bother going to the academy to sign my registration papers?"

Beatrix adjusted her white skirt as they walked into the building. "That's exactly why we're here. You'll get to see him very soon."

Sora could feel his mouth drop at her words, everything making perfect sense. "Are you kidding me? Do you seriously expect me to meet the guy you're having this affair with?"

Beatrix smiled warmly at the man sitting behind the counter, asking him something in a sickeningly sweet tone.

"_This is crazy, is she seriously going to barge in on them signing the divorce papers?"_

"Come along Sora, we don't want to miss this."

"Mom, you're sick, this is fucking sick."

They walked down several halls, stopping outside a closed door with a clear glass window. Sora felt his body tense up at the sight of silver hair. Beatrix knocked on the door, the brunet completely wandering in a different world at this point. An attractive man in a green suit got up from his seat, turning around to see them and look of complete disbelief on his face. He opened the door, filling the entire space and blocking out whatever was behind him. The man muttered something to his mother, and moved aside. Sora felt his eyes go wide at the sight of the boy he had seen at school, sitting beside a beautiful woman with tears filling her eyes. Sora was at a loss for words, there was nothing he could say to make things better or to justify his being there. The silver haired boy continued to stare at Sora, the intensity burning behind those aqua eyes making him feel insignificant.

"_Mom I can't believe you're doing this. How could you do this to me…to them?"_

tbc

**A/N: Haha, so I added another little twist with Seifer. Hmm…I wonder what Kairi has to say about that? XD Please r&r. Be honest and let me know if I've screwed up anywhere. If you're interested, the lyrics Sora was singing to was a song called "Searching" by Offer Nissim, a great D.J. Until next time!**


	3. Words of Advise

Disclaimer: Same as before, I don't own a thing, so don't sue me.

**A/N: I'd like to thank everyone for reading and for the lovely words from the reviewers. School is finally in session for Sora, watch as he first ventures into Destiny Islands Academy.**

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 3**

**Words of Advise **

Riku knew it was night by the time he awoke, but the last thing he wanted to do was linger in bed any longer. He got up, resting his bare feet on the glossy wooden floor of his room. Riku pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes, trying to suppress the beginnings of a headache. He glanced over at his nightstand, noticing a blinking light coming from his cell phone. Riku picked it up, noticing that there were several missed calls staring back at him. The silver haired teen quickly ran through them, majority of the calls having been from Kairi. Riku tossed the phone aside, not caring that it landed on the bare floor and skidded into a wall. But despite feeling like shit, and the nagging churning of disgust in his stomach, Riku was semi-satisfied that the divorce was finalized. Of course, it didn't go exactly as it should have, or better yet, not well at all.

There was no excuse, none whatsoever for that woman to have been there. Riku didn't know who to be angrier with, his father or his bitch for lack of a better word. The only thing Riku knew was that someone had better tie him down before he did something that would land him in juvenile hall. His mother was on the brink of tears as her eyes went from Baralai, to the woman, and to the obvious face of her blue-eyed son. Yunalesca didn't waste another moment as she scribbled away her marriage, then followed by storming out before Baralai could get a word in. Riku watched as his mother left and decided to go after her, but didn't leave without letting his father know what was currently swimming around in his head.

"I don't ever want to see you again. Don't you ever come near my mom otherwise you will fucking wish I wasn't born."

Baralai remained silent, fazed by the words of his only son. But he didn't go after the teen when he left, instead he remained where he was, left to face the man with his papers and a quizzical almost horrified look on his face. He let out a sigh, signing his name in blank ink under paragraphs of tiny written text. Beatrix was standing behind him the entire time, with a petrified Sora at her side. But he said nothing; instead he turned to see Riku walking down the hall, disappearing before sending the brunet one last look. A look full of a million different emotions happening all at once.

Riku walked out of his room, making his way down to the spacious living room where a black stone chimney was roaring brightly with a fire. It was bad. The silver haired teen knew that whenever that chimney was lit, his mother was doing one of two things. Mourning the loss of a loved one, or drinking. But by the events that happened today, it could honestly be both. His eyes landed on the serene figure of Yunalesca, her back to him as she stared into the ambers. Riku felt the need to talk to her, comfort her and let her know that things were finally over. But instead he simply walked up behind her, and wrapped both strong arms around her neck, squeezing gingerly. It was more than enough for right now, and Riku left her to muse over things, watching as she raised a glass of wine to her lips.

"I love you mom," he whispered, his head resting against her shoulder.

Yunalesca didn't respond right away, but Riku didn't care.

"I love you to."

They didn't speak, but remained where they were for a long time, both losing track of time as they stared into the multicolored fire.

X

"Where the hell have you been?" was the first thing to come out of Beatrix' mouth as Sora walked through the front door with his head facing the ground and a set of keys in his hand.

"Out," was his only response, lifting his eyes to the obviously infuriated face of his mother.

"Don't be smart with me, I've been worried sick about you. Why did you run out earlier?"

Sora couldn't help but laugh at the question, feeling his hand tighten around his keys.

"Are you serious? You're seriously asking me why I decided to run out of city hall where you had me come and witness such a horrible act?"

Beatrix took in a deep breath, taking a quick second to run a hand through her brown hair. "I know it was sudden, but it was for the best."

Sora raised an eyebrow, "For the best? For who? You? Do you seriously enjoy watching people suffer?"

"I'd watch your mouth Sora," Beatrix warned, coming closer to her son. "I won't be disrespected in my own home."

"For God's sake, mom, how do you expect me to respect you when you do these fucking things!"

Sora's words were silenced when he felt a stinging slap across his cheek, feeling his eyes water at the edges. The brunet slowly turned to face his mother, but was met with her back instead.

"I went to the academy and signed your papers. Mr. Seymour gave me your things and I left them in your room. Get some sleep, you've got school in the morning."

Beatrix disappeared down a hall leading to her room, leaving Sora still standing by the front door, his cheek slowly turning red from the impact. The tears forming at the corners of his eyes never fell; instead he held them in and sighed deeply. Sora tossed his keys on the kitchen counter, noticing that there were still many boxes littering his walking space. The blue-eyed teen kicked them aside as he made his way to his room, slamming the door with enough force to shake the entire building. On his bed was a white shirt and a pair of light blue pants folded neatly under plastic with a piece of paper settled on top. Sora didn't even want to look at the school uniform, so he tossed it aside along with all of his unpacked stuff. The brunet slipped out of his sandals and jumped into bed face first, taking a deep breath against the fabric of his pillow. The last thing he wanted to do was go to school the following morning, knowing very well that he would eventually run into the boy he had seen that afternoon. His mind was blank. There was absolutely nothing he could come up with to justify things if he ever did see him. But as he lay there, unmoving, the comforting feeling of sleep overcame him. Sora drifted off, never realizing that there were tears sliding down his face.

X

Roxas was fighting off Axel when he heard the familiar sound of new e-mail coming from his computer. The blonde immediately ceased with his struggle and regretted it a minute later when Axel was on top of him kissing the underside of his chin.

"Axel, stop, I've got mail," Roxas muttered trying to push his boyfriend away.

"Aww, come on Roxy, it can wait," the red haired college student whispered into his skin.

"No, it might be from Sora," the blonde said as he pulled himself from under the much taller man. "I haven't heard from him since he left."

Axel rolled his eyes, watching as Roxas seated himself by his computer and clicked away, leaving him to linger on the bed with a hand supporting his head.

"Well I hope it's good news cause you've been no fun since he headed to the armpit of nowhere," Axel declared.

"Can you blame me? He's my best friend; we've been together since we were first able to crawl. The only time he's ever been this far away was when his dad died. I've told you about it before."

"Yeah…" Axel said, the seriousness in his voice changing, "I know."

Roxas clicked the mouse several times before a screen showed up revealing e-mail from his best friend. A smile immediately took a hold of his face as he opened the file, only to falter as he scrolled farther down the page. Axel remained silent, allowing his boyfriend to read the message comfortably.

"Oh my god," he said, re-reading the message. "I can't believe she did that."

Axel's curiosity got the better of him as he left the bed and looked over Roxas' shoulder. The redhead raised an eyebrow as he read, letting one of his arms rest around the blonde's waist.

"What a bitch," he muttered, finishing and walking back to the bed. "She seriously barged in on them, that's crazy man."

"Duh," Roxas retaliated, "Sora must be completely mortified. I should give him a call."

"I would leave him alone for right now Roxas," Axel advised, "Even if you called him it wouldn't change what happened. He's going to have to deal with this."

"But he's my best friend!"

"I never said he wasn't. Just give him some time. He obviously doesn't want to talk right now if he had to tell you about it through email."

Roxas found that his boyfriend was right, even though he had the burning desire to pick the phone up and dial Sora. He gave Axel a grin, knowing very well that the older boy was only looking out for him. Roxas turned the screen off to his computer and walked back to his bed, allowing Axel to wrap his arms around him when he lay down.

"So," the tall teen said, "Where were we?"

X

First period wasn't as horrible as Sora was anticipating; then again, it was only history so he didn't really need to put much effort into it. Of course no one bothered talking to him when he first entered the classroom, finding an empty seat in front since everyone preferred the back. Sora wasn't the only one to find their school uniform completely hideous and opted to wear a silver chain to make the outfit somewhat presentable. The only thing that did annoy the brunet was the uncomfortable feeling of people staring at the back of his head. He managed to catch a couple whispers, but disregarded them when he heard the bell ring. The teacher tried to announce the homework for the day, but was drowned out by the chaotic atmosphere as students began filing out of the room. Sora, despite sitting in the front, was one of the last to leave.

"Hey," he heard as he walked out of the classroom. Sora turned around to face a boy around his height with dirty blonde hair and hazel colored eyes.

"Yeah?" he replied, feeling a bit surprised that someone was actually addressing him.

"Just wanted to let you know that your chain there isn't allowed. I thought I should tell you before you got caught."

Sora fingered the silver chain around his neck, feeling the pointy edges of a crown charm dangling against his skin. "Seriously? But there isn't any rule against girls and their designer handbags?" He said pointing at a girl with red hair and a Juicy purse nestled securely under her arm.

The blonde shrugged, "I don't get it either. Supposedly we aren't supposed to wear things that make us stand out against each other. Cause not everyone here has money, so yeah, you get the picture."

"Ah," Sora dragged out, "that makes a whole lot of sense. But I'll take my chances, since by the obvious looks of things, no one really cares."

"Yeah, sorry if I bothered you then. I'm Hayner by the way," he said extending a hand out to Sora.

"Sora, and you're not bothering me. I'm actually glad someone took a chance to be seen with the new kid," the brunet replied, shaking his hand firmly. "So, tell me Hayner, how does the hierarchy work around here?"

Hayner chuckled, motioning for Sora to follow him down the bustling hall. "It's pretty basic, frosh don't get spoken to, and you avoid the upperclassmen as much as possible. Well, that is unless they talk to you then it's safe."

Sora rolled his eyes, "Wow, I guess it's not just city kids that are snobby."

Hayner stopped his stride. "You're from the city? Which one?"

Sora smiled at the blonde, "Holly City, I just moved from the capital."

"Shit, are you kidding me? Why the hell would you move out here?"

Sora let out a sigh, wondering if he would get the same question from any other person he decided to talk to. "It's a really long and complicated story that I would rather not talk about."

"Sorry, didn't mean to pry."

"No, it's okay, it's…just something I would rather not think about. So, tell me, where is classroom 24B? I've got English next and I'm still lost around here."

"24B? Sweet, I've got that class, we can just head there together, is that okay with you?"

Sora nodded and let the blonde direct them. He followed after, taking the chance to get acquainted with the place. The little tour he had the previous day didn't really go to well, so now he made sure to remember every turn he made as he walked.

"Oh shit," Hayner cursed as they stood in the same corridor Sora had first seen the silver haired boy and felt the need to keep walking. "I totally forgot my English book in my locker, I gotta go back and get it. Just stay here I'll be right back."

"Wait, Hayner," but the blonde was already yards away, leaving Sora alone. The brunet knew where he was, but the feeling of confidence he had the previous day as he walked through the hall was currently somewhere far away. Sora looked around, his eyes landing on a group of obvious seniors chatting away. He tried to occupy himself during the time Hayner was gone, but found that standing in the middle of a hall doing nothing while people passed was just a little unnerving. Sora left the hall and walked into the courtyard, immediately seeking refuge under the shade of a tall tree.

"Get a grip Sora, you're NEVER this nervous. If people stare at you, just ignore them."

"Hey! Oh…" came a voice in his direction, immediately bringing him back into reality. A girl with red hair and pink highlights was standing right in front of him, a Juicy purse still secured under her arm. "Sorry, I thought my friend would be here."

"Oh, do you guys usually hang around here?" he asked moving away from the tree.

"No, no, it's okay, you can stand there. I don't really care. I was just looking for a friend of mine. I haven't been able to get a hold of him."

"Ah, well, don't count on me to know where he is. I know about, one person right now."

She placed a hand on her hip as her lips curved into a smile. "You're that new kid. I saw you walking here yesterday."

"Yep, that's me, the new kid."

"Well, let's turn that one person you know into two then, I'm Kairi."

"Sora," the brunet said taking a hold of Kairi's outstretched hand.

"So are you a sophomore?" she asked, tossing her hair.

Sora nodded, "Yeah, and I take it that you are too? Cause according to Hayner upperclassmen don't talk to people like me."

"Seniors, upperclassmen, whatever, it doesn't really matter. Don't pay attention to him, he doesn't know what he's talking about. Why don't I introduce you to some of my friends?"

Sora was about to answer when a bell rang. "That'd be nice, but I better get to class."

"Well, don't be a stranger, if we happen to have a class together, I'll make sure to sit by you. See ya later!"

Kairi walked on, leaving him alone once more. Students were filing into classrooms by the time Hayner returned and apologized for taking longer than expected. Sora waved it off as they made their way to English, mentioning Kairi during their conversation.

"Kairi talked to you?" he asked, giving Sora a surprised expression. "That's a first. She never talks to any of the new people, you must have something special for her to acknowledge who you are."

The brunet returned the expression. "What's so special about her? She looks like every other girl in this school."

Hayner let out a breath through gritted teeth, letting Sora know that perhaps he was wrong, or better yet, completely.

"She's the mayor's daughter, he donates money to the academy on a regular basis so she's got the idea that she can do whatever she wants because of it. People kiss up to her because they know she's capable of getting them into trouble. All she needs to do is have a chat with Mr. Seymour."

They walked up a flight of stairs and Sora could see a door reading "24B". "And she gets away with it?"

Hayner rolled his eyes, "Oh yeah. There was this one time when a senior girl named Lulu was flirting with a guy Kairi had her eye on. The next day, a plastic bag with ecstasy was found in her locker and she was expelled. Now she's going to Spira High School."

"Damn, she doesn't look like the type of girl to be such a bitch," Sora said as he and Hayner made their way to the back of the classroom.

"I would stay away from her. She may be popular, but she's not worth pissing off."

"Glad you told me," Sora replied, taking out a notebook and opening it to the first page, "I'll make sure to keep that in mind."

X

Riku was sitting on the bleachers overlooking the track, watching as the team finished their 3rd lap. It was 2nd period by now, but the silver haired teen was preoccupied with other things and could care less about going to trigonometry. The wind was picking up, sending strands of silver across his face. He had his shirt unbuttoned all the way, allowing the sun to pelt away at his skin.

"If only I wasn't taken," came Kairi's voice from behind, "then I would have no shame in throwing myself all over you."

Riku scratched the side of his nose, "But you are, and that's to bad."

Kairi settled herself at his side, placing her Juicy purse on the bleacher in front of her. "So why didn't you return any of my calls last night? I was worried and wanted to know how things went."

Riku gave her a stern look, the action more than enough to satisfy her question. "That bad?"

"You've got no fucking clue," he uttered with disdain. "I wish I could simply erase the whole episode and skip to the lovely after party."

"Riku you know you can talk to me about it, I'm always here to listen," she answered, placing a small hand on his back. He didn't flinch, but he didn't want anyone touching him. Riku hunched forward, ripping her hand away from his back.

"You honestly want to know?"

Kairi nodded enthusiastically, her blue eyes sparkling with interest.

"Fine."

And he began retelling everything that happened the day before. Everything from having their meeting changed to the afternoon, to the more than unnecessary visit from his father's mistress. Kairi felt her eyes grow wide at the mention of the brunet when Riku arrived at the part, her hands cupping her mouth.

"Are you telling me that the cute guy we saw walking through the academy yesterday is her son?" Kairi asked in complete disbelief. "That was the last thing I was expecting to hear. Oh my god, I can't believe Sora is related to such a bitch."

Riku felt his mouth dry up at the sound of his name. He craned his neck to face the redhead, his stare unnerving the short girl. "Sora?"

Kairi nodded hesitantly, wanting to take back her last couple words. "Yeah…I talked to him after 1st period today. I was looking for you and I ran into him. He told me his name was Sora."

Riku's hands became fists at this point. The thought of him attending HIS school was something he didn't want to think about.

"He'd better watch out," Riku spat out, "I can't guarantee his safety if I run into him."

Kairi bit her lip, "Riku don't say such things. In the little bit I talked with him, Sora seemed like a pretty cool guy. I doubt he had any control over what happened."

Riku remained silent for several minutes following Kairi's words, his mind struggling with trying to accept that perhaps what she was saying was true. But at the moment, Riku was hurting, hurting more for the anguish his mother was going through. He revisited the image of Sora standing at the door, his eyes looking at him with an expression he couldn't comprehend.

"Give him a chance Riku," Kairi said breaking the silence. "Ever thought how he might be feeling?"

Riku didn't respond and Kairi giggled, "He's to cute for you to be mad at. I saw the way you looked at him yesterday Riku, your eyes said it all."

Kairi got up and wrapped her arms around his neck, letting her skin make contact with his. This time he didn't jerk away, but instead he relaxed under the warmth.

"I'll leave you alone. Maybe all you need is time. Give me a call later, but if I don't answer it's probably cause I'm with Seifer. Just leave me a message."

Riku nodded as she got up from the bleachers and walked away from the track, leaving Riku to ponder her words. The track team had just finished their run and Riku watched as a blonde haired captain took of his shirt to reveal a defined set of abs. Cloud wiped away the lingering sweat on his forehead, taking the chance to glance up at Riku and wink. But he didn't respond, he simply sat there thinking, his mind elsewhere. Riku was having a difficult time getting those blue eyes out of his head.

X

The final bell rung, announcing to the world that school was out for the day. Sora managed to get through all 6 classes without to much difficulty, although physical education did give him trouble when it came to concentration. His eyes refused to stay off of his gym teacher. He was tall with an incredible body and had long pitch-black spiky hair jutting from every direction. Unlike the rest of the teachers, this one preferred to be called by his first name and Sora had no trouble calling him Zack. The brunet did pretty well for his first run at Destiny Islands Academy, finishing up with a time of 5:04. Zack was rather impressed and even mentioned something along the lines of joining the track team, but Sora politely refused.

Sora was yet again, the last to leave the halls of the academy and was met with a pretty empty parking lot by the time he arrived. He maneuvered his way to his maroon colored Mini Cooper, running a hand through his sweaty hair as he noticed Kairi in the distance making out with someone. That's when the realization kicked in and he noticed that the guy she was kissing was Seifer, the same hunky blonde he shared a "date" with.

_"Naw, I gotta meet a friend of mine in a while, but thanks."_

Sora remembered him mentioning he had to see someone when he offered him a ride, and by the looks of things, he definitely saw something alright. He clicked a button on his keypad and the doors unlocked, allowing him to throw his things inside as he continued watching the little show Kairi was putting on. She was standing with her back to Sora, so it would only be a matter of time before Seifer would open his eyes and notice him standing a couple of yards away. And those eyes did open, causing Seifer to break the kiss. Kairi raised an eyebrow at Seifer before turning around to see the brunet.

"Oh hey Sora!" she exclaimed, removing herself from Seifer and making her way to Sora's side. "How was your first day at the academy? Sucks that we don't have any classes together."

"Ye-yeah," he stuttered, his eyes still lingering on Seifer, "I made sure to look out for you whenever I walked into a new classroom. So…is that your boyfriend?"

Kairi nodded, motioning for Seifer to come their way. The blonde took his time as he walked, slicking his hair back and biting his bottom lip.

"Sora, this is my boyfriend Seifer. Seifer, this is Sora, he just started today," she introduced the two as she latched onto Seifer's arm. "He goes to Shinra Community College on the other side of the island."

"Yeah, we've…"

"Nice to meet you Sora," Seifer said, extending a hand to the brunet and cutting him short.

_"Oh…okay, so that's how it's going to be."_

"Nice to meet you too," he replied, leaving the hand where it was. Kairi didn't think much of it as she remained attached to Seifer's side.

"We were going to go out for some sushi, wanna come with?" Kairi asked.

Sora gave her a smile, but declined the offer. "Wish I could, but I've still got a lot of unpacking to do at home. Maybe some other time?"

"Oh sure, here, I'll give you my number just in case."

"Thanks," he replied, typing her number away. "Well, I gotta get going. Lots of homework and unpacking to do."

"Yeah, well, I'll see you tomorrow then. Bye!"

Kairi and Seifer walked off, the blonde giving him a grin as they marched.

"The irony, it kills me," he muttered, getting into his car. But as he backed out of his parking spot, the last place he wanted to be was home. He remembered the shop across from Café Le Blanc and thought that perhaps buying a little something for himself would ease some of the tension currently building up in his head. Sora drove past the immense gates of the academy and made his way down from the steep hill and into town. He turned the music on, allowing the tunes to carry out of his car and into the air. There were several students walking through town as he passed, each one busily chatting away on their cell phone. Sora turned the corner where the café stood, and parked along the sidewalk, making sure that his tires weren't touching the concrete. He made a quick mental note to not return to Café Le Blanc, or at least, not when Seifer was working there. The brunet looked both ways before crossing the street and entered the quaint looking shop. Inside were lots of expensive looking clothes and Sora immediately felt his worries and stress flitter away as he eyed a pair of faded jeans with a touch of red paint splattered across the legs. He noticed a curtain behind the register move and didn't think much of it.

"Can I help you?" came a voice from behind the brunet.

"Oh, I'm fine, thank…" and his sentence trailed off.

Standing behind the register was the beautiful silver haired woman from city hall, her eyes narrowing when she realized whom it was she was addressing. Sora felt his stomach turn into knots, but his discomfort only intensified when a silver haired boy walked from behind the velvet curtain. He watched as the boy walked out into the store, stopping a mere few feet from him. Their eyes met again.

"Welcome to Zanarkand's, my name is Riku. How can I assist you today?"

tbc

**A/N: Hope you liked, please r&r. Till later everyone! And if anyone caught on, Beatrix, Sora's mother is a character from Final Fantasy 9 XD  
**


	4. Progression

Disclaimer: Don't own anything, please don't sue!

**A/N: I'm sorry for the terrible cliffhanger, but I hope this makes up for it. Thanks for all the great reviews! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, it's the longest one so far.**

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 4**

**Progression**

If there were ever a time Sora wished the earth could split under his feet and swallow him into the fiery pits, then right now would be the perfect time. Sora had never felt more uncomfortable in his life, and the knots in his stomach were proof enough. The shorter boy remained silent, at a complete loss for words and feeling his desire for a new pair of jeans withering away. Riku's eyes were fixated on the brunet, he too unsure of what to say next. He didn't know why, and he was currently racking his mind for an answer as to why he even bothered walking from behind the counter. Yunalesca cleared her throat, the sound carrying through the boutique like a clap of thunder. Sora managed to regain the feelings in his legs as he began towards the door, only to clumsily brush against Riku as he did. Sora felt an electric charge up his spine at the contact but didn't waste anymore time as he reached the entrance.

"I, I apologize, sorry for troubling you," he stuttered, opening the door and feeling the cool island breeze against his face. And he was gone, running across the street and into the safety of his car. Riku let out a heavy sigh when he heard the unmistakable sound of a motor. He turned towards the counter just in time to see his mother walk behind the velvet curtain. It had been a day, and only time would heal the damage that both had suffered. Riku knew his mother was still hurting, but if things were to get better, he would have to be strong, take the initiative and work twice as hard for the two of them. He was now the only man left in his mother's life, and he would be damned if he wasn't there for her. Riku walked behind the register, resting both arms on the sleek white counter as more people began to walk in.

"Riku?"

The tall teen turned to his mother, noticing that she had her sunglasses on. "Yeah mom?"

"Please take care of the place, I'm going to head back home. Is that okay with you honey?"

Riku didn't need to think twice. "No prob, I'll lock up and meet you later. Get some rest mom."

Yunalesca kissed Riku on the forehead, smiling as she left the store. Riku was left to deal with the customers, but he didn't mind. He knew she was tired, and despite feeling exhausted himself, carried on without her. Riku watched as people continued pouring into the store, hearing several girls gasp when they found something that appealed to them. At some point he simply droned the voices out, but plastered a smile on his face the instant someone walked up to him with their purchase in hand.

X

Yunalesca's grip on the steering wheel tightened as she pulled into the driveway, noticing a blue BMW positioned in her usual spot. She narrowed her eyes, knowing very well that Baralai was inside the house. The Mercedes came to a stop, just barely touching the white garage door. Yunalesca got out and made her way to the front of the house and didn't have to bother with the door seeing that it was already wide open. The only thing she was hoping as she walked inside was that Baralai would be alone. Her hopeful thinking paid off, noticing the figure of her former husband bending down to pick up a large white box sitting in the living room. But she still took a look around, for she didn't know what she was capable of doing if Beatrix just happened to be lingering in her home.

"Couldn't give me warning call?" she asked, causing Baralai to stop his actions and to turn around. He was dressed in a pair of khaki colored pants, along with a navy polo shirt and fidgeted with the watch on his wrist as his eyes fell on Yunalesca.

"Thought I could just drop by while you were gone that way we wouldn't run into each other," he responded, removing his gaze and concentrating on some imaginary dot somewhere in the living room.

Yunalesca simply shook her head, "My, it's ever so nice of you to think about me. Although I would have preferred you thought things twice before anything like this happened."

Baralai could hear the edge in her voice and was not at all surprised. "Look, I just came to get the rest of my things. I don't want to argue anymore, so please just leave things where they are."

Yunalesca brushed her hair aside, "So where are you headed? Going to go live with that woman of yours?"

"No," he responded, feeling the need to get defensive, "Then again I don't think it's really any of your business what I do from now on."

"So you are moving in with her then?" she asked once more, not satisfied with his answer. "Or are you going to continue lying to me? I don't see the point in it Baralai, you shouldn't have to hide things anymore."

"Her name is Beatrix, and for the final time, I am not moving in with her. I've got a place several miles out of town."

"Oh, so now you tell me her name? Answer me this, did you even know that she had a son?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" He retaliated, finding no sense in her words.

"It has everything to do with it. Did you ever stop to think that perhaps you could be causing pain to not only your family, but to another child? Are you proud of what he is most likely going through?"

Baralai opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Yunalesca continued standing, waiting patiently for him to respond.

"I didn't think so Baralai. You never stop to think about anyone but yourself."

"That's not true!" he fought back, his hands becoming fists at this point. "I have given you and Riku everything. I have worked my ass off so the two of you could live comfortably. Don't you dare tell me that I don't care about anyone."

"What you've worked for us to live well has nothing to do with this! Money doesn't justify what you've done." Yunalesca scoffed, "Oh yes, how stupid of me. How could I be so blind? It's so incredibly obvious that you care about that Beatrix woman."

"Yunalesca, stop, just drop it," he said picking up his box. "I'm not going to waste anymore time arguing"

"There you go again, running away. Can't you be a decent man and face your problems directly? Are you to afraid to face me because you know you're wrong? Come now Baralai, answer me!"

Baralai walked past Yunalesca, ceasing their conversation as he walked out the door. She followed after not letting his action stop her from letting him know what she wanted to say.

"I just pray to the Faiths her son is feeling the same way as we are right now. I hope he is as ashamed of his own mother as Riku is of you."

Baralai stopped a couple feet away from his car, turning back to give Yunalesca a venomous look. "I love Riku with all my heart. I don't care what I have to do, but I will regain his trust again one day. I'm not going to lose him Yunalesca."

"Go to hell!" she exclaimed, feeling tears swell in her eyes. "Riku doesn't want anything to do with you anymore and you'd better stay away from him! And don't worry about the rest of your things, I'll make sure to burn them when I have the chance!"

Baralai threw the box in the backseat and got into his BMW, turning it on and backing out of the driveway. Yunalesca was in tears at this point, the realization finally kicking in. It was over, he was gone, and he wouldn't be a part of her life anymore. She looked down at her hand, watching as the sun glistened over her ring. Not wasting a single second, Yunalesca slid the band from her ring finger and tossed it as far as she could. Unbeknownst to the silver haired woman, one of the neighbors from across the street was watching and walked out from behind her once slightly opened door. Mrs. Tilmitt made her way over to the house, eyeing the gold ring lying on the pavement as she went.

"Oh, dear, what happened?" she asked once she was inside the front yard. "Did the two of you have a fight?"

Yunalesca dabbed at her eyes with her palms, wanting to rid herself of the tears cascading down her cheeks.

"Now, why don't we come over to my place for a nice strong cup of coffee? Maybe a little brandy in it won't hurt." Mrs. Tilmitt offered, pulling at Yunalesca's arm gently. "Come on dear."

She reluctantly followed, smiling at the shorter woman once she could see from behind the tears. "Thank you, I'm so sorry you had to see that."

Mrs. Tilmit waved her hand, "Not at all, I'm sure things will be fine by tomorrow. Come on in, Selphie was helping me bake some coffee cake."

"_If only it were that easy." _Yunalesca thought.

They walked inside the house, shutting the door behind them.

X

Sora was having the hardest time with his homework that night, then again, after what happened that afternoon he was surprised that he could even eat with the constant knots in his stomach. Several crumpled pieces of paper littered his desk, each one the beginning to an English paper the class had a week to do, but with his luck, was due tomorrow. He let out a sigh, tipping his chair back so his eyes could face the ceiling. Sora placed the pen in his mouth, his tongue lazily playing with the black cap. The ending to a song by a popular group from the capital was playing in the background, the music coming from a stereo positioned above his dresser.

He had spent the rest of the afternoon clearing his room and putting things in their respective spots, although the closet was somewhat of a battlefield behind the closed doors. There were several posters hanging on the once bare walls, their glossy surface reflecting the artificial light. He glanced at his newly placed alarm clock settled at one of the corners of his desk; the glowing numbers stating it was half past nine. Sora pulled the pen from his mouth and dropped it on top of his notebook as he got up from his seat. He threw himself into bed, letting out a sigh against the fabric of his sheets. Sleep was currently something he was trying to suppress. His momentary relaxation was cut short when he heard his cell ring and muttered curse words as he reached for the electronic device.

"Hello?" he answered, taking a second to turn on his back.

"Hey Sora, it's Hayner. Sorry for calling late."

Sora stacked the pillows against the headboard and positioned himself against them. "No, it's alright, you saved me from that crappy English paper."

There was an intake of breath on Hayner's side. "Oh man, I totally forgot about the damn paper. Let's hope Ms. Aurora is sick tomorrow."

Sora laughed, "She looked pretty healthy today, I guess luck isn't on our side."

"Yeah, well," Haynyer mumbled, "I was calling to ask if you wanted to come hang out with me and a couple friends of mine."

"At this hour?" he responded, taking another look at the clock. "We have class in the morning."

"I know that, but we're just gonna head to the beach for a while, we won't be out to late."

Sora debated with the idea, eyeing the stack of books on his desk. The English paper wasn't going to get done if he went along, but sitting around doing nothing was definitely less productive than going out.

"Alright, I'll come along. Do you want me to meet you guys somewhere?"

"Naw, we'll come pick you up. Just give me your address and we'll be over in two minutes."

Seconds later Sora was slipping into a pair of Adidas and pulling on a red sweater with the words "Hell Fire" across the chest. He was immediately reminded of the club he had gotten it from, well, where Roxas had gotten it from and he decided to borrow it permanently. Sora didn't need to worry about his mother nagging him since she never came home that day, and he honestly preferred not having her there. He walked out the front door, making sure to lock up as he made his way towards an elevator at the end of the hall. Sora pressed the "down" button and waited patiently for the mechanical gears to bring the elevator to him. There was a loud "ding!" and the doors flew open, revealing a blonde girl wearing a blue dress ending around knees with a matching jacket lined with what he hoped to be faux fur.

"Oh, good evening," she greeted as the brunet walked in.

"Hello," he responded hitting the 1st floor button and noticing her distinct accent. "Are you headed down?"

The girl nodded, her long blonde hair cascading down her back. "Yes, I live on the third floor. I must say this is the first time I've seen you here. Have you just moved in?"

Sora nodded, "Yeah, my mom and I moved in a couple of days ago. The place is still a mess but it's going pretty okay."

"Oh that's lovely. I believe that we both have something in common now."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"We're both pretty new around here. I'm actually here on foreign exchange going to Spira High School since last September. I was so excited when I first arrived, it's so sunny and warm around here."

Sora gave her an amused look, "Oh, where are you from?"

"I'm from a country way up north, it's always foggy and cold so I was completely surprised when I found out I would be coming to Destiny Islands. Oh, look at me, chatting away when I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Alice, pleased to meet you…"

"Sora," the brunet finished, shaking her hand.

"Sora, that's such a lovely and curious name," she answered back, letting out a small gasp when the elevator stopped. "Well, this is my floor, we'll most likely see each other again so I look forward to our next meeting."

Sora gave her a genuine smile, "Same here, take care and I'll see you later sometime."

Alice waved goodbye, letting the doors close as Sora once again descended towards the bottom. He watched his reflection in the shiny interior, noticing the distortions the metal created. The doors flew open once more, allowing the brunet to walk out and into the lobby of the condominium building. He could see a car out front, with three distinct figures sitting within. Sora immediately recognized Hayner, this time dressed in a pair of camouflage pants and wearing a dark blue shirt. It was an odd combination in his eyes, but he didn't say anything about the attire as he neared the car.

"Hey Sora, I'd like you to meet Pence, and Olette," he introduced as he pointed to a pretty brunet with shiny green eyes and a boy with jet black hair held up with a band around his forehead.

"Hi," he said offering them a smile, "Nice to meet you guys."

"You were right Hayner, he is pretty cute," Olette giggled only to be silence by a menacing look from the blonde. Sora felt his cheeks warm up, but he thanked the night for hiding the color in the shadows.

"So, you comin' or not?" Sora nodded, opening the door and positioning himself in the passenger's seat.

"I called shotgun," Pence commented once Sora was situated. "Hayner must really like you to have made me sit in the back.

"Pence, shut up, otherwise you can forget about the ice cream later."

The threat was more than enough to make the raven-haired boy shut up. Olette simply cupped her hand over her mouth.

"That did it Hayner."

"So do you guys go the academy?" Sora asked, shifting the topics around before further embarrassment befell anyone else. "I don't think I saw either of you around the campus."

Olette shook her head, "No, we both go to Spira High School. My parents can't afford the high tuition, but it's still a really good school. I could have gone on a scholarship, but there was no way I could've left Pence behind. Plus, we have the greatest blitzball team anywhere and the trophies prove we're the best.

Sora shifted slightly in his seat, "I tried getting into Spira, but they shot me down cause of how late it was in the year."

"Really?" Pence asked, "Why did you decide to transfer so late?"

Hayner looked through the rearview mirror and the look in his eyes told Pence that the question was out of line.

"I mean, er, I was just, never mind," Pence finished off, letting out a sigh.

Sora glanced over at Hayner as he drove, catching his eye and mouthing a silent "thank you."

"So where are we headed on a school night?" the brunet asked, still wondering if they _were_ going to the beach or not.

"We're actually going to go see the last half hour of a blitzball game at our school," Olette responded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Balamb Garden High is playing us tonight."

"Isn't it a bit late for blitzball?" Sora commented, glad that he was wearing a sweater since the car had no roof.

"It's varsity, they always play last. It can't really be helped," Pence added.

They continued chatting as Hayner drove, every so often he would look through the rearview mirror to catch Pence doing some kind of funny face. They all laughed, Sora especially relieved that he decided to go out.

X

Riku flipped a switch, engulfing the entire store in darkness. He pulled on a white jacket with several unnecessary zippers across the front as he walked out the door. Riku pulled a handful of keys from his pocket and locked up, making sure the small security box inside was blinking its red light. He was met with a distinct pulsating light and began making his way to his car, the night being relatively dark despite the clear sky. Riku was tired, he wanted nothing more than to return home to his warm bed. The thought of sleep was so good right now, and he could feel a yawn escaping his lips. Riku's eyes watered slightly with the yawn and he quickly rubbed away at them. He felt a powerful beam of light hit him from behind as a shadow was cast in front of him. Riku turned to see the distinct figure of a car, Kairi's car to be precise. He rolled his eyes when he saw Seifer sitting in the passenger seat, his eyes looking out the window. The redhead parked the car behind Riku and got out to greet him.

"Hey, you never called me, I was waiting all afternoon for you."

Riku shrugged, "The store was busy, mom ended up going home so I had to stay and lock up."

"I still don't understand why you decide to stay open so late. It's not like someone is going to go "Oh, it's 7:00, time to go shopping". You should talk to your mom about getting closing earlier."

"Can't, summer's coming and tourists are already filling the streets. It's the time Zanarkand's gets the most business."

Kairi, who at the moment was dressed in a pair of Capri pants with a pink halter-top, walked up to Riku and tugged on his arm. "We're headed over to Spira High School, we're gonna go watch blitzball, you should come along."

He raised an eyebrow, "And why the hell would you go to Spira?"

"Seifer's got some friends that are on the Balamb Garden varsity team, they're playing Spira tonight and I want to go root for them. Come on Riku, please! It'll do you some good to get out and do something."

Riku shrugged her arm away, not really caring for what she had to say. "Sorry Kairi, but I'm gonna head home and go to bed, it's been a hard couple days and I just want to rest."

Kairi opted for a different tactic, pursing her lips and looking up at him with the shiniest and biggest puppy-dog eyes she could make. Riku was not at all amused and turned his back to Kairi.

"Look," she said the tone in her voice completely serious. "You can't let what happened get to you. You're going to have to get over it and go back to being the same sexy "I don't give a flying fuck" Riku I know. So, you can either go home and be all emo, or you can join us and have a good time."

The silver haired teen remained standing with his back to Kairi, his car key dangling in his hand. They were both shaken out of their thoughts when they heard Seifer beep the car horn from behind.

"Seifer!" Kairi screamed, running back to the driver's side. "You scared me, don't do that!"

"We've gotta get going. The varsity team should be starting anytime now. I don't want to miss Raijin make the first goal. If Riku doesn't want to go, then just leave him, he'll come around eventually."

But to both their surprise, Riku opened one of back doors and jumped in, letting his arms rest against his chest. "So are we going or not? I want to see some guys in speedos if you don't mind."

"_That's the Riku I know!" _

Kairi smiled, throwing the door open and sitting herself by Riku's side. "Seifer, you can drive, I want to sit next to my Riku."

Seifer grinned, "Fine with me, strap on your seatbelts folks."

And they were off, Riku trying his best to relax. He began to tone Kairi out, his skin prickling at the memory of Sora brushing against him earlier in the afternoon. It was a simple touch, an accidental act, but it didn't matter, it had happened. Part of Riku hated him, hated him for simply being the son of the person responsible for all the chaos. But at the same time he couldn't help but feel tiny slivers of ice crawl up his back at the thought of him, the thought of seeing his cerulean eyes. It was an ongoing battle in his mind, two sides desperately struggling for supremacy.

X

The parking lot to Spira High School was full to the brim and Hayner ended up spending precious time trying to find a parking spot. At one point Olette and Pence asked Hayner to let them out so they could go and find seats, which he had no problem with. They sprinted towards the gymnasium, Pence falling slightly behind and panting as he tried to catch up with Olette.

"They seem to be really great people," Sora commented when Hayner managed to find a glorious empty spot and stationed his car.

"Yeah, we've been best friends since kindergarten. I don't know what I would do without either of them."

Sora nodded, knowing the same exact feeling. "I know what you mean, my best friend is still in Holly City, probably hanging out with his boyfriend at this very moment. I'll be honest and say that leaving him behind was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do."

"I think you mentioned him during English today, you said his name was Roxas?" Hayner asked as the two friends got out of the car and started towards the gym.

"Yeah, Roxas," Sora confirmed, wishing he could be at his side this very moment. "I consider him my other half, well, the part of me that I lack. Roxas is a bit more hardheaded and proud, but we compliment each other."

"Did you guys ever go out?" Hayner asked, feeling his cheeks turning crimson.

Sora tried to ignore the blush, "Sorta, after an episode during middle school we figured it would be best to remain friends. I always told myself that I would rather give up a boyfriend than a best friend. And that's what ended up happening. I don't regret it, and I never will. Roxas has someone right now that cares deeply about him, and I can only hope they remain together for a long time."

"That's awesome," Hayner added, his eyes watching the stars. "I don't think I could date one of my best friends and still be on good terms, it'd be to weird."

"Each person is different Hayner, we all handle things differently. You know I'm not blind, I can tell you like Olette."

The blonde felt his cheeks redden once more, "That's not true! She's one of my best friends, that's it."

Sora grinned at him, "You know, you're a terrible liar."

Sora and Hayner were outside the gym, noticing that there was a large crowd standing around the entrance. Pence and Olette were among the group, each one looking their way with disappointed expressions on their faces.

"It's completely packed in there," Olette informed, leaving the crowd and joining the two. "It doesn't matter anyway, there's only 10 minutes left in the game. We would have made it if Hayner didn't spend the entire time trying to find a parking spot."

"Hey!" he exclaimed. "It's not my fault, it was your idea to come in the first place. Be glad that I offered to drive the two of you guys here."

Olette narrowed her eyes at him only to bust up laughing two seconds later. Sora watched in amusement, finding it comical the way they were staring at each other. Pence walked up from behind them. "We're winning, the score's 2 to 1!"

Olette clapper her hands, her green eyes sparkling with joy. "Awesome! I bet it's going to be in the paper. I hope they make sure to get a picture of Wakka."

"So Hayner, since we kinda missed out on the game, how about we head over to Scrooge's for some ice cream?" Pence asked, licking his lips.

The blonde turned to Sora, "You up to it? Or do want us to drop you back home?"

"Umm…I don't really mind. I just wish we could have watched the game."

"If it means that much to you we can go ahead and work our way through the crowd," Olette offered. "We'd catch the last couple minutes, but it'd be something."

Sora nodded, and all together, maneuvered around the many bodies littering the entrance. People gave them dirty glares as they pushed their way through, Olette gasping when someone rudely touched her behind. Hayner managed to see the dirty middle school kid that laid his hand on her and slipped a sneaky foot behind his legs, tripping him and falling back into a rather large muscled man. Pence snickered, managing to break through to see the humungous pool in the very center of the building. Not far behind was Sora and the rest of the group, each one marveling as the two teams were busily fighting for control of the blue and white ball. Olette pointed out their home team, wearing speedos the same color as the ball currently in possession by Balamb Garden wearing black and yellow. Pence was hollering, followed by the brunet girl, leaving Hayner and Sora to simply watch on, feeling somewhat uncomfortable cheering for a team not their own. Sora glanced up at a huge board overlooking the entire space, a little less than 4 minutes remaining on the clock.

"There's Wakka!" Olette cheered, pointing at a muscular teen with bright orange hair that despite being submerged under thousands of gallons of water, managed to retain it's coiling shape. They followed his movements, watching as he smashed into a Balamb Garden player, sending him barreling back into another of his teammates. Wakka grabbed the ball, gripping it as tight as he could as he torpedoed through the water, maneuvering through other players to sink the ball into the goal with a powerful kick.

"Whooo!" The stands were on their feet, yelling in delight while others were booing and sending dirty glares at the obvious Spira fans. The continued watching as the clock ticked away, Balamb Garden unable to make it past the powerful defense of Spira. Sora was completely amazed by their performance. He couldn't believe they were only high school students and playing this well. He had to admit that back in Holly City none of the schools there would be a match for Spira. The clock hit zero and a buzzer announced the end of the game while simultaneously crowning the winner for the night. Once again the crowds went into a frenzy and Sora found that he was cheering for the winning team. One by one players from Balamb Garden got out of the water only to let their heads drop. Olette was hugging Pence, both jumping up and down as they continued cheering.

"Hey Sora," Hayner was trying to get the brunet's attention through the deafening yells. "Let's go back outside and wait for them. It's starting to feel a bit to claustrophobic in here."

Sora nodded, this time having less difficulty going out since people were trying to make their way towards the players, congratulating some while others were being patted on the back for trying their best. Sora escaped out of the gym, taking in a deep cool breath as he looked up at the night sky. The stars were ablaze, each one winking back at him with a bright radiance.

"Hey Sora, I'm going to head to my car to get my jacket, it's getting cold."

Hayner walked off, leaving Sora to continue staring at the twinkling skies.

"Sora!"

The blue-eyed teen turned around slowly, seeing Kairi in a pink halter-top as she walked up to him. He smiled, a bit surprised to see her there.

"Hi," he said putting both hands into his pockets. "I didn't think I'd see you here."

"Yeah, me neither, are you here with someone?"

Sora nodded, "Yeah, I'm here with Hayner and some of his friends that go to this school. We got here kind of late so we only got to see the last couple minutes of the game. I can't believe how well they play."

Kairi frowned, folding her arms against her chest. "Yeah, well it's to bad that Balamb lost, Seifer is beyond pissed."

"So you're here with Seifer? That makes a lot more sense."

"What do you mean?" Kairi asked, a questioning look on her face.

Sora bit the inside of his cheek, realizing he let out a piece of information regarding the fact that he knew Seifer used to go to Balamb Garden High School. But letting her know that would lead to more questions and the last thing he wanted to do was explain that he had met and hung out with Seifer for several hours before he even met Kairi.

"Oh, nothing, I was just rambling to myself. I think I'd better go find Hayner's friends and head home. We've got class tomorrow and I still need to finish my English paper."

Sora passed her, only to be stopped when he felt a hand on his arm. He cocked his head, noticing that Kairi was holding onto him.

"Is there something you want?" he asked, not at all happy with his arm in her hands.

Kairi gripped her top lip with her teeth, her mind analyzing an idea currently buzzing through her head. "Umm, would you mind doing me a favor? Please?"

The brunet tried to tug his arm away but she held on firmly, making him sigh. "Do I have a choice?"

Kairi giggled, "You do, but you will come to know that I have very powerful persuasion skills. So, will you?"

Sora rolled his eyes, "What is it?"

"Why don't you ditch these friends of yours and come hang out with Seifer and me, we're going to head to one of the piers and have a bite to eat at one of the restaurants."

Sora raised an eyebrow at the request, sounding more like an invitation than a favor.

"Umm, that sounds more like an invite. How are you considering this a favor?"

Kairi's lips curled into a smile, a smile hiding some secret she was obviously not going to reveal. "It'll make a lot more sense in a few minutes. So go let those…friends of yours know you're coming with us."

Sora turned in the direction Hayner had left, debating whether he was seriously cruel enough to ditch them. But as he stared into Kairi's deep blue eyes, he found her invite more and more likable. The final sign to seal his decision was the rumbling of his stomach. He hadn't eaten all afternoon and the thought of food sounded incredibly good right now.

"Are any of the restaurants going to be open at this hour?" he asked, a smidgen of doubt still plaguing him.

"Sora," she addressed him, "This is me you're talking to. You must have heard from people at school that I am the mayor's daughter. They'll keep the place open if I come along."

"_Looks like someone is full of herself." _Sora thought, remembering Hayner's words following history class early that morning.

"Alright," he replied, feeling a bit rotten at the thought of ditching Hayner and the gang.

"Great! Now, let's head back to my car and go pick up Seifer," she said taking Sora by the hand and walking briskly in a completely different direction. Sora stumbled after, managing to adjust his speed to hers. They didn't walk to far before they were standing next to a bright yellow Porsche, one that was obviously made to stand out at against any other vehicle. Kairi let go of Sora's arm as she got into the driver's seat, making sure to double click her keypad in order to unlock the brunet's side. He got in and was met with a pair of hot pink dice hanging from the rearview mirror, the color a complete atrocity against the yellow of the car. Sora bit back the desire to rip the horrible dangling cubes and toss them out the window, but folded his hands into his lap before he had a chance to act on the impulse. Kairi pulled out, turning on the headlights as she headed towards the entrance to the gym. Sora could see Pence and Olette walking out from the building, each one twirling around in search of something. Sora found himself tumbling into the back seat, not wanting to be seen by the two friends.

"Come on Sora, they won't mind. Oh look, there's Seifer over there."

Sora peered through the window, watching as a flood of people left the building. He could make out Seifer, standing against a tree off in the distance, talking to someone he couldn't really make out. Kairi looked back out of the corner of her eye, a grin spreading across her face as her plan was being set in motion. The Porsche rolled on, coming closer to the two figures lingering around. But as they neared, Sora could feel his heart skip a beat. The person Seifer was talking to turned around and Sora's jaw dropped. Immediately he felt the need to get out of the car, but to his dismay the Porsche only had two doors and he was sitting in the back where he had no access to them.

"Kairi, no, stop let me out, I can't," Sora began to ramble, but Kairi paid no attention to him as Seifer and the unmistakable figure of Riku walked to the sides of the car. The passenger door open and Seifer situated himself on the seat. Sora watched nervously as Kairi got out and pulled her seat forward so Riku could get in. The brunet was praying to whatever god was up there to take him now. But he cursed silently when he was met face to face with Riku, his eyes widening and his mouth slightly agape.

"Get in Riku," Kairi informed, giving the silver haired teen a slight shove. Riku stumbled forward only to stabilize himself by grabbing a hold of Sora's knee. The contact created a wave of heat, one currently on its way up his leg. Riku let go immediately but had nowhere to run as Kairi finished shoving him in the back and slamming the door once she was in.

"Buckle up boys," she said with both eyes sparkling maliciously.

"_I did it, now they have no choice but to talk."_

"Kairi, I don't care if you're a fucking girl. I will beat you to a bloody pulp if you don't let me out of this car this instant," Riku hastily threatened, only to be met with a warning look from Seifer.

"I'd be careful what you say to her, as you can see her boyfriend is sitting right here."

"Fuck you Seifer, this isn't your business. Kairi, I'm serious, let me out!"

Sora was at a loss for words, he was trying desperately to sink and disappear into the black leather seat.

"Riku, this is for your own good. The two of you need to talk about what's happened otherwise you won't ever move on with things."

Seifer gave Kairi a quizzical look, "What are you talking about? Why do they have to talk?" He looked back and was met with Sora, only to feel his breath tighten in his throat.

"That's none of your business," Riku spat out, his arms currently digging into the back of Kairi's seat. "Now humor me Kairi and let me out. I don't care if I have to walk, just let me out."

"Am I really that terrible?"

And silence befell the inside of the car. Kairi glanced through the rearview mirror, noticing the glossiness in Sora's eyes. Seifer muttered something under his breath but no one paid him any attention. Riku was now staring at the brunet; the anger in is voice evaporating. Sora had his head turned, his hands bundled up in his sweater.

"Kairi, please stop and let me out. I'll leave, just pull over," the brunet asked with complete sincerity. Slowly but surely the Porsche came to a stop along the sidewalk, the streets dark and empty.

"I'm sorry Sora, I shouldn't have done that," Kairi apologized motioning to Seifer to get out in order for Sora to leave. The blonde opened the door and pulled the seat back, the brunet not wasting a second in getting out.

"I'll see you at school," he mumbled and started his trek down the street. Riku remained silent in the back, his hands fidgeting with each other.

_"Give him a chance… Ever thought how he might be feeling?"_

Riku replayed Kairi's words from the bleachers, trying to figure out what to do next. He raised his head, watching as the smaller frame of Sora disappeared into the darkness.

_"Am I really that terrible?"_

Riku didn't know if it was his body, or if it was his mind at work, but he was standing outside and sprinting down the dark street. Kairi watched with curiosity, her lips curving into a smile.

"Sora!"

The brunet froze. It was the first time that his name was uttered by that voice. He turned and was met with Riku, his chest slowly rising up and down due to the sudden run. Sora wanted to say something, but he couldn't come up with the words. Riku looked at him, desperately trying to find something in those blue eyes.

"Can we talk?"

It was a simple, three word question, but one that Sora was so incredibly happy to hear. He looked back at him, his face softening into a smile.

"Sure."

tbc

**A/N: Please don't kill me! I know I ended it in a horrible way again, but they've finally decided to speak with one another. I hope the cameos and mentions of several characters weren't out of place and made sense as to where they were. Please r&r and let me know what you thought. Thanks! XD **


	5. Sharing

Disclaimer: I own my laptop, but nothing else. The plotline I own though, characters and all belong to Square-Enix and Disney.

**A/N: You guys are fantastic! I really appreciate everyone's kind words. This chapter was a bit tricky for me, but I tried my best and I hope you guys enjoy. **

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 5**

**Sharing**

The night was getting colder, something rather unusual for an April day. Winds were picking up, causing waves to increase in size as they crashed along the shores of the island. Riku's hair was flying everywhere as he rested on the pier overlooking a smaller island way off in the distance. Sora was right beside him, a steaming cup of hot paopu cider sitting in his hands. He was currently staring into the depths of the yellow liquid, trying to figure out a way to start a conversation with the taller teen to his right. They had walked along the dark streets, never speaking a word as they neared the pier. It was awkward, but both were in the same situation. Riku let out a sigh, closing his eyes momentarily as a particularly strong breeze flung silver into his face.

"You know," Sora started, feeling somewhat alarmed at the sound of his own voice, "if you changed your mind, I can understand. I can just head home." Sora took a tentative step backwards as he took a sip from the steaming cup in his hand.

"No." Riku firmly stated, stopping the brunet in his tracks. "I asked you out here, so it's only fair that we talk. Kairi may be kind of stupid at times with her ideas, but she means well by what she did."

Sora smiled, "I've heard from other people that Kairi can get pretty nasty. But so far I haven't met that side of her and I hope I never do."

"She can be, but luckily for you, she seems to like you." Riku finished, resting his arms on the wooden railing overlooking the ocean. Silence was their only companion once again, leaving the two to their own thoughts as the night continued.

"This is really difficult," Riku said, shaking the brunet from his musings, "I still don't understand why any of this had to happen. I mean, my parents were perfectly fine, they never fought, always got along, and I respected both of them. Then…a year ago things started to change."

Sora took his side, making sure not to interrupt as he continued. He simply listened, perhaps that alone would make all the difference.

"Baralai is head of an advertising company, Yu Yevon Inc. So it was only natural for him to head off to the capital every so often for work. We didn't mind, my mom and I knew it was business and simply accepted his absence. But like I said, a year ago he started making excuses. He would stay in the capital for several days after he was supposed to come home, at times he even went as far as stay a week. I disregarded it at first, but then the arguments started. From then on it only went downhill, and Baralai would hardly come home anymore."

Riku was quiet for a few minutes afterwards, letting the information soak into Sora's head. A shooting star made its way across the sky, disappearing into the horizon.

"My father died years ago," Sora started, feeling it was his turn to share something. "I was ten at the time, going to 5th grade and being like any normal kid. We always had a great relationship. He always went to my little league baseball games, and to all my school plays. He did this despite being a very busy person. When he died…I felt like part of me went away too."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Riku offered, pulling silver strands away from his face. "As much as my father hurt me, I don't know what I would do if he died. I don't think I would be able to stand his affair along with his death, it'd be to much."

"Let's just hope nothing like that ever happens," Sora reassured, looking up to meet Riku's eyes. "Losing a parent is something I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy. No matter how much I despised them. Although I don't know if my enemies would feel the same way about me."

"I can't imagine someone like you could have any enemies," Riku responded, feeling the warmth behind those eyes. "You did manage to make friends with Kairi, that alone is an accomplishment."

Sora laughed, something he was never expecting Riku to make him do. "I guess you're right, but I meant what I said as a figure of speech."

Riku found comfort in the laugh. "I'm really sorry if I came off as a jerk Sora, I just didn't know how to express my anger. It's just that I have never had to deal with anything like this."

"You and me both, things with my mom haven't been the greatest either. But it's okay…I can completely understand if you were mad at me. I just want you to know that it wasn't something I could control. I'm really sorry for what you and your mom had to suffer. Sometimes I wish I could just slap some sense into her and make her realize all the shit she's causing."

"_I doubt he had any control over what happened."_

Kairi's words once again passed through Riku's head, making him realize how right she was. "I've thought the same with my dad, sit him down and knock some sense into his head. I guess we're both in the same situation."

"It seems so," Sora trailed off, taking another sip from his cider. "I don't know about you, but I'm freezing my ass off out here, I think I'm gonna head home."

"Wait," Riku surprised himself with the word, "my mom's store is a couple minutes away, my car's there so I could give you a ride. I would feel kind of bad if you had to walk all the way home."

"It's okay, Riku, just being able to talk with you for a little while has made things better, I don't mind walking." The brunet finished, crumpling the paper cup and throwing it in a nearby garbage can.

Riku grabbed a hold of Sora's shoulder; stopping him once again and making him turn around to look at him. "Please, just let me take you home."

Sora stared into the aqua eyes, feeling a positive intensity within them. The hand on his shoulder remained where it was, and despite the creeping blush, he wished it would stay there. "O-okay."

They left the pier, walking briskly through the streets, thankful for the lampposts along the way providing them with some light.

"I've been meaning to ask you this," Riku said, placing his hands in his pockets, "but how old are you?"

Sora mimicked Riku's action, "I'm 16.What about you?"

"I'm 17."

"Well that makes a lot of sense," Sora said, feeling the corners of his lips curving into a smile. "That's why you and I don't have any classes together."

"Is that a bad thing?" Riku asked, turning his head slightly.

"No, it's just that…well, every time I walked into a new classroom today I was kind of nervous that I might run into you."

Riku bit his bottom lip, feeling somewhat guilty. "I didn't realize I was coming off like such an ass, I'm sorry."

Sora shook his head. "It's okay, really. Like I said, I understand if you were ever mad at me. It's not everyday something like this happens. I'm just sorry I couldn't do something about it."

They turned several street corners, randomly talking about aimless things, wanting to leave their current subject and concentrating on something a bit more lighthearted. Café Le Blanc came into view; it's wooden sign creakingly moving around in the wind. Riku pointed to his white Audi on the opposite side, clicking his keypad in order to open it.

"I never would have guessed that I would be running into you at this store," Sora said motioning towards Zanarkand's. "Took me completely by surprise."

Riku cast his gaze aside, "I think it was more of a surprise seeing one of my mom's outfits being worn by your mother."

Sora felt his eyes go wide, "You mean the white business suit my mother was wearing was a design by yours?"

The silver haired teen lifted his eyes, "Shocking, huh?"

"Yeah, I had asked her where she got it but she never answered me. I kind of…figured she got it from the guy she was seeing," he dragged out, once again feeling somewhat rotten. "I'm sorry."

Riku shook his head, "Enough apologies, we're both sorry and there isn't anything else we can do. What our parents do is their business, and that's it. All we can do is ignore it and try to move on."

"I know, but I can't help feeling like crap," Sora said, walking to the passenger's side of the car. "At least you have your father out of the way, but I still have to deal with my mom. I don't know what I will fucking do if she ever brings him over."

Riku licked his cold lips, "Just be sure to glare and ignore him a lot."

Sora grinned, getting into the car when Riku motioned for him to enter. They buckled up as the engine roared into life, staring out the window to see a giant fountain off in the distance.

"I'm just hoping my mom's still not home when I get there," Sora pointed out. "She's not to happy with me right now and the last thing I want to do is argue with her. I've been keeping to my room a lot, but it's the best way to avoid conflict."

The Audi was put into drive, immediately pulling away from the sidewalk. Riku looked over at Sora, running his eyes up his frame for a split second before returning to the road. "What does she do if you don't me asking?"

Sora shook his head, "She used to work for a law firm when we were in Holly City, but after my dad died and we inherited all of his assets, she stopped working altogether."

"What about your dad?" he asked, stopping at a red light. "What did he do?"

"He was a ship designer. My dad figured out a way to combine regular metals with a special substance called "Gummi" to make them even more durable and strong."

Riku felt his eyes go wide, "You're kidding me. But it's become a multibillion dollar market, that must mean…"

Sora felt his cheeks go red, "Yeah, we kinda have a lot of money. But don't get me wrong, I don't feel like it makes me any better than anyone. My dad taught me that money alone doesn't make someone happy, but the work in getting it and achieving what you want to be is what makes things worthwhile. He was seriously the smartest and greatest man I've ever known."

Riku let out a deep sigh, not at all expecting that Sora was the son of a multibillionaire. They continued driving, Sora making sure to let Riku know where to turn and where to keep going.

"Now I don't want you to think of me differently after what I told you. You have no idea how many friends I have lost when they find this out. They figure I'm some snobby rich kid and think they're not good enough for me. It's really sad actually."

Riku felt his stomach do a flip suddenly, "Wait, so, you're telling me we're friends now?"

Sora fidgeted with his hands, looking away from the taller teen. "Well…I'd like to be. Then again, I can understand…"

Riku laughed, "It's okay, don't feel embarrassed. I feel the same way. Believe it or not, I don't actually have that many friends besides Kairi. I've developed a reputation and people tend to stay away from me. I don't care, I am what I am and if people don't like it, then screw them."

The Audi pulled up to a huge building and parked right outside the lobby doors. Sora struggled with the seatbelt for a few seconds as he prepared to leave the warmth and safety of the car.

"Sora," Riku began, "I just want to thank you for talking with me tonight. It's really made things a whole lot better. And don't blame yourself for anything, like we said, it's not our fault."

Sora nodded as he adjusted the collar to his sweater. "Same here, I'm glad we had this chance. But I better get going, I still have homework for tomorrow and it's really late. Maybe I'll catch you around sometime?"

Riku felt a warmth building inside of him. "Definitely. Now go get some sleep, we've got class tomorrow."

Sora opened the door and shut it once he was outside. The brunet waved a silent goodbye as he headed into the building, his unfinished English paper waiting on his desk along with his warm tempting bed. Riku drove off, leaving behind a trail of exhaust fumes rising into the sky. Sora let out a heavy sigh, letting anxieties and unpleasant feelings flow along with it. He took one final look at the night sky as he entered the building, a smile caressing his face as he walked.

X

The windows were dark when Riku pulled into the driveway, automatically assuming that his mother was asleep. He eyed the black Mercedes curiously, noticing that the front was awfully close to the garage door. Riku grabbed his backpack from the seat in the back and slung the heavy parcel over his shoulder, making his way into the front yard.

"Hey Riku!" a voice rang through they cold air, slicing the silence and echoing. The silver haired teen turned to see the petite figure of Selphie Tilmitt, her brown hair currently being held up in a ponytail. He waved a couple fingers at her, watching as she stopped right outside the front gate.

"Hey Selphie," he said, wondering why she was out this late and more precisely, why she was addressing him. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh yeah," the brunet girl began, "I just wanted to let you know that your mom's going to be spending the night over at my place."

He raised an eyebrow at her, immediately glancing back and up to the window of Yunalesca's room. "Why? What happened?"

Selphie waved both hands in front of her. "No, it's nothing bad, it's just that she and my mom had a bit to much to drink and both of them finally fell asleep. They've been going at it all afternoon. I'm a little scared by all the alcohol they managed to get down. But I just wanted to let you know so you wouldn't be worried."

Riku shook his head, not at all happy with the fact that his mother was drinking. It wasn't something she did frequently, but then again, after what happened, it made some sense. "Thanks Selphie, I'm glad you told me. Please make sure she sleeps well, she's been having a hard time. I'll catch you at school tomorrow, night."

Selphie bid Riku her goodnight and walked back across the street, leaving Riku to linger around in the front yard for a couple minutes. Eventually Riku entered the house, only to be met with several white boxes littering the living room floor. He was a little unsure of what they were at first considering there wasn't a single light turned on, but he rolled his eyes when he figured they were Baralai's belongings. Then something clicked in Riku's head and his hands closed into tight fists.

"_He was here. And they had another fight." _Riku thought, imagining Yunalesca in tears. The silver haired teen kicked one of the boxes aside, causing the contents to explode all across the glossy floor. Riku cursed, throwing his backpack aside as he bent down when he heard the distinct sound of broken glass. He carefully found what it was that shattered, a frame encasing a portrait of Yunalesca, Baralai, and a 2-year old Riku. An overwhelming feeling of sadness washed over the teen as he peered at the smiling faces in the photograph. He felt tired, stressed, and despite having his mom at his side, alone. Riku removed the photograph, clutching it to his chest as a single tear dribbled down his cheek. The house was dark and alone, so there wasn't a single soul there to hear him cry.

X

June meant one thing to any student of any school, and that was that they would soon be out for the summer. It was finals week, but with only three horrific days of tests and reports due in every single class. No one liked them, but it was the last thing holding people back from a long awaited beginning to summer vacation.

Sora was just finishing up with the last question to his history final when the bell rang, signaling the end of the class and the start of lunch. One by one students walked to the front of the classroom and delivered their papers into a toppling stack on the teacher's desk. The brunet gave a sigh, smiling inwardly at himself for completing it and having made it halfway through the first day of testing. Luckily for everyone, there were only two finals a day for one and a half hours each, so they would be leaving school earlier than usual. Sora left the classroom, immediately searching for one person among the crowds of students. Walking along, towering above several people, was Riku with a jabbering Kairi at his side. The brunet maneuvered around people, stopping a foot or so away from the duo.

"Hey, how did the physics final go Riku?" he asked, brushing a brown spike away.

"Aced it, no problem," he responded with a grin. "Although I'm not sure about my companion here and her first final. Let's just say she might have to stay after school for a "make up test".

Kairi let her jaw dropped, only to take her purse and smack Riku across the back. "That was so uncalled for Riku, I wouldn't be surprised if you'd be the one to stay afterwards. Then again, I don't think you would mind getting into your teacher's pants."

Riku returned the hit with a glare, "Unlike you, I don't need to sink that low."

"Now children, play nice. It's very rude to talk to one another like that." The brunet strung out, walking up to the two and placing an arm around both their backs. "Don't make me discipline you guys for bad behavior."

Riku shrugged the arm off, giving him a dirty smile. "You will do anything to get near my ass, won't you?"

Sora's cheeks burned red for a split second, "Don't get full of yourself, it's not _that_ great."

Kairi rolled her eyes. "I think I should have never stuffed the two of you in the back of my car. I was expecting you guys to work things out, which have obviously been taken care of, but please, just climb on top of each other and get it over with."

Two months, it had been two months since that eventful night. Riku and Sora had become rather good friends, hanging out whenever they could between classes at school, and during every second they could afterwards. Kairi was plenty happy with the way things turned out. Riku went back to being the same guy she always knew, and Sora became a lot more outgoing and ended up fitting perfectly in their little group. It was slow at first, but Riku eventually figured he had spent enough time crying over the past and realized he would gain nothing by doing so. Baralai never returned to the house, and his mom was more than happy to throw the remainder of his things away. Yunalesca was still a bit shaken up, but she too was getting better and began spending more time with Mrs. Tilmitt. Zanarkand's was booming with business and Yunalesca was happy to have a girlfriend help around the shop and chat in between customers.

Beatrix on the other hand, was becoming more and more distant from Sora. In the two months that they had been living in their condo, she was probably there a total of 10 days. Sora didn't like his mother, but even so, things around the place were rather lonely. He never questioned her whereabouts; that was something he and Riku knew without a second thought. But Sora managed to find a feline companion roaming the street one day after school and couldn't help but fall for the furry creature. The black and white kitten was somewhat scrawny at first, but after a week or two, he was at a healthy if not pudgy weight. Sora ended up naming the boy cat Figaro, the name coming to him completely out of nowhere. He made things a bit more tolerable, but there was still a gap, something even Figaro couldn't fill.

"I think I'm going to head off boys," Kairi finally said when she was not met with a retaliation to her most recent comment. "Seifer's going to pick me up in a few, so I'll catch you later."

"Just make sure you come back in time for our next final," Riku reminded, knowing the possibilities of Kairi returning were slim once she was off with the blonde college student.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, I'll be back," she assured, waving to the two friends as she disappeared into the crowds.

"She's not coming back." Sora firmly stated, shaking his head as he leaned up against a wall.

"Yeah." Riku replied, mimicking his action and letting his back rest against the stone surface. "What do you want to do for lunch? Feel like heading over to Quina's for a sandwich?"

Sora debated with the idea, he wasn't feeling very hungry at the moment. "Not really, but if you want to go I'll come with."

"Hey Sora," came a voice, making both boys turn their heads. Sora was met with Hayner, his eyes glancing at Riku before addressing the brunet. "You might want this back," he said handing Sora his cell phone. "You left it in history, I'll see you later in English."

The blonde walked away, giving Riku another look as he went off. Sora simply sighed.

"What's wrong?" the silver haired teen asked, itching a spot on his neck where the collar was bugging him.

"Hayner's still upset with me for ditching him and his friends that one night. I don't blame him, but come on, it's been two months. I knew him for a single day; he shouldn't be so upset with me over it. He still talks to me, but he's been kind of distant."

Riku could tell by the way Hayner looked at him that he wasn't happy with the fact that he was spending time with Sora, and honestly, he could care less. "That's his problem Sora, if you apologized and he can't deal with that, then he's not worth stressing over. Come on, let's go to Quina's.

They left the sanctuary of the halls as they walked into the parking lot where the sun was beating down on them without remorse. The white Audi clicked open and Riku tossed his things inside, opening the trunk at the same time as he swiftly and suddenly tore the white shirt off. Sora felt his eyes latch on to the curves of his abs, but immediately took his eyes away when Riku caught him staring. The taller boy grinned, noticing the pinkness in Sora's cheeks. He fished inside the trunk, finding a less bothersome shirt to throw on.

"I've got another one in here, want to wear it while we're out?" he asked, taking out a pale blue shirt with a large navy "Z" across the front. Sora took the article of clothing from his outstretched hand and changed quickly, letting Riku take a peek at his own uncovered chest.

"Let's go," Sora stated, getting into the passenger's seat. Riku followed and soon they were off.

X

"Have a nice day," Yunalesca said as a customer left the store, letting the door close behind her. Zanarkand's was currently under tourist attack, and Yunalesca was having a hard time dealing with all the people. Mrs. Tilmitt was a great help, but even she had her own work and duties and couldn't stay all day. She let out a sigh as another customer walked up to the counter, plastering on a smile as she performed the transaction.

"_I think hiring some help would be nice."_ Yunalesca thought as she finished with the purchase. There was a sudden breeze of cool air as the door was pushed open, letting her know that another person was coming into the store.

"Hello, welcome to Zanarkand's, is there anything I can help you with?" she asked as she turned to the figure of a very tall and handsome looking man. He had an incredible pair of blue eyes, ones that Yunalesca found herself staring into. The man gave her a warm smile, taking a second to run a hand through his long silver hair.

"Thank you miss, but I'm just having a look around. Would you happen to be the owner?"

Yunalesca returned the smile and nodded, "Yes, this is my little boutique, I've designed every piece of clothing along with all the accessories you'll find."

"Remarkable," he responded, running a finger up the sleeve of a shirt to his right. "I must say that I'm impressed. It's not everyday that I see such excellent designs. I'm sorry for not introducing myself, where are my manners?"

"Oh, it's quite alright, thank you for the lovely comment. My name is Yunalesca."

The silver haired man took a hold of her hand and raised it to his lips. Her cheeks became rosy the instant his lips touched her skin. "My name is Sephiroth, it's an honor meeting you Yunalesca."

X

Sora walked through the front door only to be immediately trampled by a purring Figaro. He bent down and picked the kitten into his arms, scratching the back of his ears as he wandered into the kitchen.

"Hey boy, did you miss me? Yes, that's a good boy," he cooed as Figaro continued rubbing his head against Sora's fingers. "And look at your dish, you finished all your food already, what am I going to do with you?" Figaro jumped out of Sora's arms, landing next to a metallic dish currently housing a few crumbs. "Sorry but you're going to have to wait till tonight for more. You're getting a little to fat to quickly boy."

Sora fished inside the refrigerator for a bottle of water, taking a sip once the cap came off. He looked around the open space, glad that the place was finally looking like a normal home. Beatrix ended up hiring a couple maids to clean and put things away, although Sora had insisted that she do so ages before. But nevertheless, things were done and the place looked ten times better than before. Figaro jumped up on the counter, meowing as he tried to paw at the bottle in Sora's hand.

"You've got water boy, this is mine," he said placing the cap back on. "Tell me boy, what did you do today?" Figaro simply cocked his head, letting his eyes blink a couple times. Sora gave a laugh, "Oh, really? Slept all day, huh? Well, aren't you lucky."

There was an unmistakable sound of a door slamming and Sora turned in the direction that it came from. Beatrix walked into the living room, her face somewhat pale and her chest heaving slightly. Sora didn't know what he was more surprised about, the fact that his mom was home, or that something didn't seem right with her.

"Mom?" he said, leaving the kitchen and walking into the living room. "Mom, is everything alright?"

Beatrix didn't respond, she simply remained standing where she was. Sora looked over at Figaro, he too looking in her direction and letting out a meow.

"You look kind of pale, do you need some water?" he asked offering his bottle.

"No, I'm fine, I have to go," she said, moving past him with her handbag in one hand. "Don't worry about dinner, I won't be around, I'll see you later hun."

Beatrix disappeared into the hall, her footsteps dying as she walked along. Sora was left completely confused, but shrugged as he took a seat on one of the black leather couches. He patted the cushion next to him and Figaro came running up to him.

"That was weird boy, did you hear her say something while I wasn't here?" Figaro looked up at him, blinking. "No? Well, that's okay, I don't blame you for steering clear of her."

Sora fingered the phone in his pocket, taking it out and flipping it open. He pressed several numbers and was met with the familiar ringing sound. There was a soft click before a voice spoke.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Sora. Mom's going to be out again tonight, want to come over for dinner?"

Riku was on the other side, he didn't take more than a second before responding. "Sure, I'll be over in a bit, want me to bring anything?"

"How about your books? We've got more finals tomorrow. We'll make it a study party."

Riku scoffed, the sound coming off somewhat disoriented through the phone. "Leave it to you to think about school, fine, I'll bring my stuff along. I'll catch you in a while, bye."

"Bye," Sora replied, flipping the phone closed. Figaro placed himself in Sora's lap, curling into a ball and looking up at him. "Riku's coming over, we're going to study for a while boy." Figaro simply meowed back, perhaps letting the brunet know that he was looking forward to Riku's visit.

X

Baralai was typing away at his computer when he heard a rapid succession of knocks at his door. He removed his glasses, taking a second to pinch the corners of his eyes as he got up from his seat.

"I'm coming, just a second," he said as he pulled the door open. Standing in the hall was Beatrix, her pale face caressed with a concerned look. Baralai arched an eyebrow before letting her walk in, taking her handbag as she did.

"Beatrix, what's wrong?" he asked, watching as the brown haired woman pulled a bottle of wine from one of the cabinets in the kitchen. She began looking through some of the drawers, desperately trying to find the annoying device used to uncork wine. Baralai was left in silence as she found the item she was looking for and struggled with the bottle for a few seconds.

"Beatrix, why are you acting like this, what happened?"

She grabbed a random glass once the cork was removed and poured herself a good amount of the crimson liquid. Beatrix downed it all at once, letting out a deep sigh as her eyes concentrated on Baralai. He was still clutching her bag, and she motioned for it.

"What?" he asked, not sure what it was she was trying to say. "You want your bag?"

"No, look inside, take a look at what's inside and figure it out for yourself," she said pouring more wine into the glass.

Baralai licked his lips as he fumbled with one of the zippers, trying to open the main compartment of the bag. After a few seconds he was met with the contents and was still arching his eyebrow in confusion as he peered through the random things normally found inside a woman's purse. But soon, his eyes fell on a long white plastic object, and the realization began to kick in. He felt his heart speed up at the sight of it, not believing what it was he was seeing. Baralai looked up from the bag to find Beatrix clutching her head.

"There you go Baralai, there's your answer."

The silver haired man was left with no words in his throat, he simply stared at Beatrix.

"I'm pregnant Baralai."

tbc

**A/N: Ouch! Surprise! Yeah, things have just become more complicated and I wonder what's going to happen. Hope you liked and please r&r. Yay! Sora and Riku are friends!**


	6. Summer Plans

Disclaimer: I own my laptop, the plot, and nothing else. Everyone knows who the characters belong to.

**A/N: Thanks again for the lovely reviews everyone. This chapter is a bit slow, but it really prepares for the next one. I snuck a little something in here that I know all of you will enjoy. Read on lovely people, read on! XD**

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 6**

**Summer Plans**

Baralai was still clutching onto the purse as he stared at Beatrix currently pouring herself another glass of wine. As the cup was being raised to her lips, Baralai suddently dropped the bag and walked up to her, taking the glass and pouring the contents down the drain.

"Baralai, I was drinking that!" she exclaimed, watching as the red liquid disappeared in the sink.

"Are you crazy Beatrix, you can't be drinking if you're pregnant." He said clasping a hand to his forehead. "How long have you known?"

Beatrix glanced away, her long brown hair hiding her eyes. "I just found out today. My cycle was late so I decided to be sure. There's no other way around it, I'm pregnant with your baby."

The silver haired man began pacing the length of the kitchen, letting his eyes wander along the ceiling as if looking for something that would give him an answer to anything. Beatrix reached for the bottle of wine, but Baralai was quick to snatch it from her grasp and tossed it into the garbage below the kitchen sink.

"You can't be drinking! Don't you understand?" Baralai yelled, feeling several beads of sweat make their way down his neck.

"What's the big deal? It's not like I'm going to keep the wretched thing. I can't have another child at this age, are you kidding me?

Baralai looked at Beatrix in horror, as if what she just said would cause the world to crumble. "What? You're not…thinking of getting an abortion are you?"

Beatrix turned to the taller man, giving him quite a serious expression. "Unless there's another way to get rid of it. I've decided. I'm going to go first thing tomorrow and get it done."

The shorter woman left the kitchen, situating herself on a couch in the living room. Baralai was quick to follow, his hands somewhat clammy.

"As much as I wish this didn't happen, Beatrix, you can't have an abortion."

"And why the hell not?" she retaliated, her hair swishing as she turned her head. "It's my body, I decide what I do."

"No," he stated firmly, "this child is also mine, I have a right to decide if it's going to be aborted or not."

Beatrix looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "You're not seriously expecting me to carry this thing around for nine months? You know as much as I do that we can't have a child, it's not something that fits with our lives."

"I know, I know." Baralai muttered, walking in circles around the living room. "But my teachings clearly express that abortion is immoral and I can't be a part of that."

The brown haired woman sat there, raising an eyebrow at the taller man only to scoff seconds later. "Don't tell me you're seriously a follower of Yevon. That was the last thing I was expecting from you. I'm sorry, but teachings or not, I'm not going to keep it."

The silver haired man could feel his heart plunge. He knew that the child couldn't be rid of, yet at the same time it's birth would only create problems. Baralai had left his family in the worst way, gaining their trust would be difficult on it's own, but with another child? Riku, Yunalesca, they would never forgive him for the affair. They would never forgive something such as this.

"Beatrix," he quietly said, "I have already lost my family, and gaining back Riku's trust was my first priority. If he were to ever find out about this, he would never even think of talking to me. Please carry the child, even though it might mean losing my son forever."

Beatrix remained silent, watching the way Baralai's eye sparkled with unshed tears. In the year she had known him, she had never seen him so emotional. This was something one couldn't simply walk away from and pretend it never happened. She bit her bottom lip, closing her eyes in thought.

"There's only one problem," she expressed, returning her gaze back to the man. "If I carry this kid, how do I explain it to Sora? He's bound to find out, I mean, my stomach isn't going to be easy to hide."

Baralai rubbed his chin, "I would ask you to stay here, but if I want Riku to talk to me again, I need to make sure there's no trace of you around while he's here. Come on Baralai, think."

They remained silent for a few seconds, only to look at each other as both were struck with the same idea.

X

Figaro was currently playing with a strand of Riku's hair, pawing at it curiously while the silver haired teen had his head resting against the bed. He tried looking out of the corner of his eyes but failed in seeing the furry creature. The two friends were sitting around in Sora's room, the floor a complete disaster of books, notes, and a half eaten pizza. Sora gave a yawn as he continued scribbling something in his notebook, the expression causing tears to well up at the corner of his eyes. Riku gave a sigh; he had long since stopped studying and was currently doodling a horribly proportioned Figaro on the corner of a page.

"You just about done?" Riku muttered, letting out his own yawn.

"Pretty much," he replied, "I know the material, but I just want to be absolutely sure there isn't anything I'm missing."

Riku grabbed Sora's notebook and tossed it aside.

"Hey!"

"You know the material, there's no way you're going to fail your math final tomorrow. Why don't we go out for a while, we've been sitting here for the last three hours and I'm falling asleep."

Sora glared at Riku, retrieving his notebook and placing it on top of the desk. "You want to go out right now? We have our finals tomorrow, I think we should study for an hour more and then call it a night."

Riku tossed his hair aside, "Sora, we've studied enough, come on, let's go out. I can tell you're a little worn out. Let's at least go to the beach, we can sit there and watch the sunset."

The brunet gave a sigh, perhaps a bit of fresh air wouldn't hurt. "Fine, help me clean things up and then we'll go." They began clearing the books off the floor and closed the top to the pizza, making sure it was secure so Figaro couldn't get into it. Sora went over to his closet and grabbed a white jacket and pulled it on, letting the high collar stand up around his neck. Riku packed his things away and tossed the bag over his shoulder. Together they left Sora's room, making their way to the front door. Figaro was right behind them, his little paws carrying him as fast as he could.

"Sorry boy," the brunet apologized, "but you can't come along. I'll be back in a bit."

Figaro slumped on his back legs, cocking his head and letting out a single meow as he watched the door close. Sora locked up and walked down the hall towards the elevator. Once inside they rested against the shiny metal, standing slightly close together. Their little bubble was interrupted when a ringing came from Riku's pocket. He brought his cell, flipping it open as he took the call.

"Hello? Oh, hey mom."

Sora listened; making sure to be quiet as to not let Yunalesca on the other side know Riku was with him. They had a long conversation over this, and both decided not to let their parents know that they were seeing each other. Perhaps they wouldn't care if they did know, but the two friends didn't want to take any chance of one parent blowing their lid. Riku closed his phone, turning his attention to Sora as the elevator reached the bottom floor. They walked out, making their way towards the double doors leading to the outside.

"What she say?" the brunet asked.

"Just asking how I was doing. She told me she was going to be out tonight, so she wanted to let me know in case I came back home and didn't find her there. I'm pretty sure she's seeing someone," Riku finished with a small smile.

"Really?" the shorter teen asked, "Has he come by the house?"

Riku shrugged, "He probably has, I just haven't been there to see him. Mom's been a lot happier lately, so if it means she's this way because of a guy, well, I'm glad for her. I just hope he doesn't end up hurting her otherwise this time I will end up behind bars."

Sora and Riku walked down the stone steps, the taller teen motioning to his Audi. They crossed the street and got in, Riku tossing his things in the back.

"If something like that ever comes to happen, I'll make sure to hold you back." Sora assured, smiling at the silver haired boy.

Riku returned the gesture, "Thanks."

X

Yunalesca was fidgeting with her fingers as she sat in the serene restaurant atmosphere. The tunes of a piano were being carried through the air, a soft song she had grown to love over the years. The tall, silver haired man took a hold of his wine glass, taking a tentative sip as he watched Yunalesca play with her hands.

"Come now," he said, "there's no need to be nervous. I won't bite, I promise."

The woman looked up, a rosy hue in her cheeks. "I'm sorry, it's just that…well, I haven't dated anyone for the past 17 years. I'm a bit rusty you could say."

Sephiroth offered her a smile, "I completely understand. If I am making you uncomfortable in the slightest, let me know."

"No, not at all, you've been wonderful," she reassured him.

"Likewise," he said raising his glass to her. "I'm very happy that you decided to accept my invitation to dinner. I've grown quite fond of this restaurant, Biggs, what a unique name."

Yunalesca raised her own glass and took a long swig and then wiped the corners of her lips with a cream colored napkin. "If you don't mind me asking Sephiroth, why is it that a fashion designer of your caliber is in a rural place like this? I would think that the capital would have a lot more to offer you."

Sephiroth's eyes lost a tint of the sparkle behind them as he set his wine down. Yunaelsca immediately regretted asking the question and apologized. "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong? Forget I asked, I'm terribly sorry."

"No, no," Sephiroth replied, giving the silver haired woman a small smile, "it's just something that I don't really talk about. But…seeing that we're getting to know each other, it'd be best to get these subjects out of the way sooner than later."

Yunalesca remained quiet, letting Sephiroth formulate his answer. "Six months ago I lost my wife, she passed away from an incurable illness. She had been dealing with her disease for several years, but it soon caught up to her and she became gravely ill. I took time off to care for her, thinking that by simply being with her she'd get better. But then that day came, and I lost her. After that, I felt like I had nothing else to live for. But after several days of grievance, I figured she'd want me to be happy. Aerith, she was the kindest and most loving person I have ever known."

"I'm so sorry to hear about that," Yunalesca said, placing a hand on top of Sephiroth's. "I don't think I could compare my pain to yours. I mean, my husband left our family for another woman."

"It doesn't matter, losing someone even through divorce can be a painful thing. I decided to ease my pain by traveling, which is what I'm doing now. It clears my head, gives me inspiration, and eventually I'll be designing again and doing what I love."

"That makes perfect sense," Yunalesca said, "if I had the time I would travel. I've been stuck on this island for as long as I can remember. Summer's pretty much here so there's no possible way for me to leave my store and take off. That and I have my son Riku."

"You have a son?" he asked, trying to make himself more comfortable in his seat. "Well, he is incredibly lucky to have such a beautiful and talented mother."

"Oh stop it please, you're making this old woman feel like a little girl," Yunalesca mumbled trying to hide the blush across her face. "But that aside, traveling sounds like a splendid idea. Perhaps if I could find the time to take Riku on a vacation, I'm sure he'd like it."

"I'm sure you could. Don't you have someone that could watch Zanarkand's for a while?"

The more Yunalesca thought about the idea, the more she liked the possibility of getting away for a while. But nobody was popping into her head; she really didn't have that many friends that she could trust a business to. "Well, if I ever do figure out someone that could watch my store, then by all means, traveling would be wonderful."

"Great. Now, I don't know about you Yunalesca, but how about ordering something to eat?"

X

Sora had his shoes dangling from his fingers as he and Riku walked down the beach, watching as the sun slowly descended further down the horizon. The breeze was picking up again, tossing everyone's hair around.

"I'm glad you dragged me out here," Sora said as he turned to Riku. "I keep forgetting how relaxing it is to come here."

"I know, I'm glad too," he replied, moving somewhat closer to the brunet. "We should do this more often. Once finals are over we can come to the beach everyday if you want."

Sora looked up at Riku, seeing the softness in his aqua-colored eyes. "I think we could do that. We can come after you finish up at Zanarkand's, how does that sound?"

Riku nodded, smiling as they continued walking. There were several ships off in the distance, each one leaving a series of waves as they traveled.

"Looks like people are leaving on vacation," Riku pointed out. "I bet they're headed for the city."

"Most likely, around this time the malls and clubs are packed with tourists in Holly City. Roxas and I would keep more to ourselves during the summer than go out, it was chaos out in the streets. The subway is a mess too, can't find a seat anywhere."

"You haven't been around here for the summer though," Riku began, "there's seriously not enough room for all the extra tourists. I find them quite annoying, but hey, they bring business to our shop, so I bear it."

"Doesn't matter, we have each other to hang out with," Sora said, only to kick himself mentally for the way he worded the sentence.

"Awww, isn't that just the cutest thing you have ever seen? The two of you make such a lovely couple."

Riku and Sora whirled around to see a blonde haired boy with shoulder length hair sticking out at the ends. Riku immediately narrowed his eyes at Tidus, wondering why on earth he was there, or better yet, why he was addressing them. Ever since Riku began hanging out with Sora, Tidus began getting somewhat jealous, not liking the idea of the two getting closer. He paid him no attention though, as they say, ignorance is bliss. Riku felt no threat from the blonde and simply nudged Sora to keep walking.

"What? You're not going to say hi or anything? You've become quite a bitch Riku," the blonde blurted, placing a hand at his hip. "You don't talk to me in class anymore, am I not a good enough friend?"

"You've never been a good friend Tidus," Riku echoed as he walked, making sure to keep Sora close. "Leave us alone, don't you have Cloud to go running to?"

Tidus bit his lip, his eyes narrowing dangerously at the back of Riku's head. "Hey you, Sora!"

The brunet turned around, gripping the collar of his jacket. Tidus simply grinned. "I'd be careful with him. He may seem nice, but he only cares about himself. Riku uses people and then tosses them aside. I would stay away from him if I were you."

"Shut up Tidus!" Riku snarled, putting himself in front of Sora. "You've got no right saying that, it's a bunch of lies."

"That's not how Cloud feels," Tidus fought back, earning him a wide-eyed look from the taller boy. Sora glanced up at Riku, "What's he talking about?"

"You never told him?" Tidus strung out, placing a hand inside his shorts pocket. "Maybe I should then. Riku here's slept with Cloud, captain of the track team. He did it for kicks; to simply say "I conquered the impossible." Take it from me Sora, stay away from him, he's not worth your time."

"I told you to shut up!" Riku warned again, feeling the anger within him rise. "Let's go Sora, we've wasted enough time with him…"

"Tidus," Sora cut in, "it's not my fault Riku never showed any interest in you. I'm already more involved with him, in ways you can't imagine, so I think you wasted your breath with your pathetic threats." Sora turned his back to the blonde and continued his trek down the beach, leaving Tidus without words. Riku was blown away by what Sora had said and followed after, but not before shooting Tidus a dirty glare.

"I'm sorry about that Sora," Riku apologized. "I never thought he would do something like that. But…"

Sora felt his cheeks redden. "It's okay, I meant what I said. We are involved in ways nobody else will understand except us. I don't care about what Tidus said, I've found out for myself what kind of person you are."

Riku felt his skin prickle, never before had someone said anything like that about him. "And what kind of person am I?"

Sora stopped walking, taking a tentative step and turning to face the taller boy. He looked into his eyes, feeling that same warmth and radiance within them. "You're caring Riku. You care about your mother more than anything; you gave me a chance to be friends with you. What else could I say after seeing this?"

The silver haired teen had no words to express a response. Sora smiled at him, "You don't have to say anything, your silence is answer enough. Now, why don't we head back so you can drop me off at home? I'm pretty sure we should get some sleep for tomorrow's finals."

Together they walked in the direction of Riku's car, the taller teen still letting what Sora soak into his head. He felt guilty for the feeling he was currently going through, Riku wanted nothing more than to embrace the smaller boy, let him know exactly how much it meant to hear something so nice. But he restrained himself, he wouldn't screw things up, not when they were still getting to know each other.

"You're incredible, you know that?" Riku said, nudging the brunet slightly. "You know just what to say to people. Wish I could do that."

"I guess I have my dad to thank for that, he always told me to give everyone a fair chance."

"And I'm glad you gave me that chance," Riku responded, placing a hand on Sora's back.

Sora blushed, "I'm glad too."

X

Mrs. Tilmitt opened her front door to reveal a beaming Yunalesca, her lips curved into a smile she had never seen before. "Darling, how are you doing? Come on in, I was just watching a bit of television."

"Thanks Mrs. Tilmitt, I won't be to long though."

"Yunalesca, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Ellone, we're good friends so lose the formalities."

"Sorry, Ellone, I came by because I had something I wanted to discuss."

Ellone motioned for Yunalesca to walk in and closed the door as she did. They walked into the living room, where Selphie was currently looking through a schoolbook while occasionally looking over at the t.v. screen currently showing a row of people standing on a stage.

"Evening Selphie, I can see you're busily studying for your finals," the silver haired woman directed at the petite girl. "Sorry if I'm disturbing you."

Selphie shook her head, "Not at all, it's not like I don't know this stuff already. Hey mom, they're getting ready to announce who's going home."

"Oh, dear, I really hope they don't kick Paine off, she's got such a beautiful voice. I don't care what people say, just because she dresses a bit dark doesn't mean she can't sing."

Yunalesca chuckled, "I can see the two of you are really into that Destiny Idol show, I personally thought that young girl Garnet would have made it past the second round."

There was a sudden silence as the host of the show announced the loser and Ellone let out a heavy sigh, "Good, they got rid of Demyx, I knew he couldn't sing to save his life. But sorry Yunalesca, you came to talk to me and here I am ignoring you. Care for a martini or something?" Ellone asked as she headed for the bar near the kitchen, a place she often visited.

"No thank you, I've already had a bit to much wine at dinner tonight," she said, placing a finger on her lips.

"Ooooh, what is this? Am I sensing a date? Oh! Tell me all about it! What's his name? Where'd you meet him? Details!"

"Mom, you're embarrassing me, stop acting like a 12 year old," the small girl whined, closing her book. "I'm going to head out mom, I'm going to go meet up with Irvine."

"Alright honey, just make sure not to stay out to late."

They were left alone; Ellone ended up making herself a martini and took a sip as she waited for Yunalesca to begin.

"I'm thinking of going away for a while. Riku and I are overdue for some time to relax, so I was wondering if you would be kind enough to take care of the store while we're gone. You wouldn't have to worry about anything, all the orders have been sent."

Ellone set her drink aside, "That sounds like a great idea, you deserve some time away. Have you given any thought as to where you want to go?"

"A bit, we'd definitely go to the capital for a few days, but I'm not sure afterwards."

Ellone grinned, "Does this man of yours live in the capital?"

Yunalesca blushed, "Well, no actually, but he has a condo there and offered it to Riku and I. He's currently traveling, so it would just be the two of us in Holly City."

"Well then, it seems that I can't say no. Don't worry about a thing Yunalesca, Zanarkand's will be fine with me in charge. Although, don't be surprised if I happen to add a bit of my own artwork to the walls, I've been doing a bit of painting lately."

The silver haired woman laughed, "I'm trying to attract business Ellone, not scare them away."

The two women burst into laughter, ceasing only when they heard the distinct sounds of a phone ringing. "Excuse me a minute love, I'll be right back."

"_This is perfect, some time away is just what the two of us need. I think Riku will enjoy it, it's been quite a while since he's been to the capital." _She thought, placing a hand on the shiny bar surface. _"It'll give us a chance to clear our minds, I can't wait."_

X

Riku drove up to the condo building, putting the Audi in park. They were relatively quiet along the way, talking about little things regarding their finals the following day. Sora still had his seatbelt on, part of him not wanting to leave the comfort of the car. Riku was sharing the same feeling, there was nothing more he wanted than to keep Sora here with him.

"Thanks for coming over," Sora commented, pulling the collar closer to his neck. "And thanks for dragging my ass out, I had a good time."

"Likewise," Riku responded, a hand still positioned on the steering wheel. "I'm sorry you had to deal with Tidus though, I promise to have a talk with him if he ever bothers you again."

"It's okay Riku, I can defend myself, but thanks. It feels good to have someone watching my back. Well…I better go, it's getting late."

"Ye-yeah, I'll make sure to catch you after 3rd period tomorrow."

There was another awkward, lingering silence hovering around them. Sora cleared his throat but nothing came out. Riku's grip on the steering wheel tightened, leaving his hand feeling somewhat sweaty. Sora fidgeted in his seat, at the same time moving slightly closer to the taller boy. Riku noticed this but simply stared forward, his eyes suddenly interested on a billboard sporting a girl with a soda in her hands.

"Riku," Sora mumbled. The silver haired boy turned, only to be met with what would be their first kiss. Sora pressed his whole body into the kiss, letting his lips rest comfortably against Riku's. The taller teen felt his eyes go wide at the act, but they closed as he pressed his own weight against him. It was short, simple, yet the most meaningful kiss Riku had ever had. Nothing compared to it, despite having been with multiple others. Sora was the first to pull back, his cheeks red as he sat there panting, his blue eyes glossed over. Riku was in the same situation, his face crimson and his lips slightly wet.

"I'll see you tomorrow," was the last thing Sora said as he left the Audi, walking briskly up the stone steps and disappearing into the safety of the building. Riku never had a chance to respond, but as he raised a finger to his lips, he found that he had no reason for one. He ran the tip of his tongue over them, tasting the lingering flavor of Sora. Riku ran a hand through his hair, the air inside the vehicle suddenly feeling a bit to warm. He rolled down the window, letting the island breeze carry inside.

"Good night," he said aloud, his eyes scaling the side of the building. "I'll see you tomorrow."

X

Sora walked down the hall of his floor, noticing a pretty girl lingering around one of the doors as he passed. She didn't pay him any attention as she stood there, perhaps waiting for someone to come out and greet her. Then again, Sora wouldn't have cared if she had addressed him, for he was currently in his own little world. He still couldn't believe he did what he had just done. Sora could still feel the slight tingling in his lips, the lips used to kiss Riku and leave him breathless. He couldn't help but smile, no part of his mind regretted what he had done. The brunet took his key out, placing it into the doorknob and turning it. He pushed the door open and was met with the sleeping figure of Figaro at the door, his little chest rising up and down as he slept. Sora carefully maneuvered around the slumbering kitten, making sure his feet didn't come anywhere near him. But he failed in doing so and managed to catch his tail. Figaro arched up, his eyes looking up at the familiar figure of his owner.

"Sorry Figaro, I didn't mean to wake you up," he apologized, watching the kitten yawn and stretch its back. He followed after, stumbling around Sora's feet as he walked in the direction of his room. "Watch it boy, don't want to squash you."

Sora pushed the door open, immediately being met with the posters hanging on the walls. Figaro scurried past him and jumped on the bed, purring as he went. The brunet made sure to scratch him behind the ears as he sat at his desk, grabbing a book from the stack and randomly opening it to some page having nothing to do with the material required for his final. He was shaken from his musings when he heard the front door open yet again and figured that his mom was home, surprising him for the second time that day. Sora walked back out and watched as Beatrix shut the door, tossing her hair as she turned to face her son.

"Mom? Are you doing okay cause you didn't look to good earlier today?"

Beatrix tried to smile, but found that her face muscles were working against her. "Sora, please sit down, I have something I need to talk to you about."

Sora felt his heart thump faster, knowing very well something was horribly wrong. There was never a time she had ever mentioned any of those words in the same sentence, but was about to find out why they were uttered.

"What is it? Did something happen?"

Beatrix simply motioned towards the couch and Sora for the first time obediently followed, situating himself on the leather seat. Figaro walked in as well, glancing at Beatrix as he went over to his water dish.

"Sora," she began, letting her hands rest against the front of her business skirt. "Your grandmother Brahne has suffered a heart attack and I must leave for Holly City immediately. She's been hospitalized and she's stable for the moment, but the doctors informed me that she needs someone to watch over her until she gets better."

Sora arched an eyebrow at her, feeling only a smidgen of concern for the elderly woman. He never cared for her, then again, she never cared for him to begin with. Brahne never liked his father, so Sora was more than happy in returning the negative feelings back.

"When did this happen?" Sora asked, plastering on a fake worried expression.

"Earlier this afternoon, she was out on her balcony when she suffered the attack. She managed to press the button on her security system before she fainted, so the paramedics arrived shortly after."

Sora simply nodded, "So, how long are you going to be gone?"

"I'll be honest with you, her heart attack was serious, so it seems she's not going to be around much longer. But who knows, it might be a couple weeks, perhaps a couple months. I would bring you along, since it is summer, but I figured you would rather stay here and be with your friends."

"_You got that right, I don't care about grandma."_

"I'm sorry to hear that mom, I know how much you loved grandma."

Beatrix pulled her hair away, revealing a set of glossy eyes. "I know hun, this was a shock for me too, which is why I need to leave first thing tomorrow morning. I've already talked to the owner of the building about my leave, so she'll be making sure to keep an eye on you while I'm gone. You've got your credit cards, so don't feel like you need to hold back on any purchases." Beatrix walked up to her son and pulled him into a hug, at the same running a hand through his brown spikes.

"Will you be okay on your own?" she asked, pulling back so she could look him in the eyes.

"_I've dealt without you for two months if you haven't noticed."_

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I've got Figaro to keep me company."

Beatrix left the embrace, "Thanks hun, now I have to pack my things and then I'm turning in, you better do the same, you've got finals in the morning."

"Yeah, right mom." He replied, picking Figaro into his arms as he walked back to his room. "Don't worry if I don't get to see you leave in the morning, good luck with grandma."

Beatrix nodded, watching Sora disappear into his room. The brunet let Figaro go, letting his body fall into the warm bed in the center of the room. He looked up at the ceiling, tracing a couple lines in the paint. Sora let out a sigh, not at all worried with the piece of information he was given. Instead, he lavished the idea of her gone, it would only make Riku's visit less of a hassle. Once again he touched his lips, feeling the familiar heat spreading throughout his body. Sora replayed the instance several times, closing his eyes as he did. He re-opened them, a smile creeping across his face.

"Riku will be ecstatic," he said aloud, grabbing the remote to his stereo and turning it on. A fast paced song came on, the lyrics warbling from the obvious use of a synthesizer. Sora lost himself in the music, the thought of finals the next day somewhere far, far away.

tbc

**A/N: I'm really happy with this chapter, and I hope you guys are as well. I hope you guys liked the character references, those were rather fun. Until next time everyone, please r&r and let me know what you thought of this.**


	7. Broken Surprises

Disclaimer: I own the plot, my laptop where I'm writing from, but nothing else.

**A/N: Thank you all for the great reviews, you guys rock! Unlike all my other chapters, the majority of this one takes place at school. Shocking, huh? But don't worry, I promise I won't bore you guys. I kinda lied about last chapter setting this one up, for the real adventure begins after this one. ( Holds a shield to protect self from rotten food being thrown. ) Nevertheless, I wrote it, so enjoy!**

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 7**

**Broken Surprises**

"Wait…are you seriously thinking of going on vacation? What about Zanarkand's, this is the time we get the most business, we can't let that go to waste."

Riku was sitting in the kitchen, having his usual cup of coffee before going to school. Yunalesca had just dropped a bombshell on him, not exactly the "hello hun" "hello mom" greeting he was expecting when he came down the stairs. He was dressed in his light blue slacks, but was wearing a black shirt with the words "Ultima" across the chest in neon green letters. He opted to feel comfortable for as long as possible before changing into the annoying white button-up article of clothing.

"I'm quite serious Riku, I think this is a wonderful opportunity for us to get away and relax. After all that's happened we owe it to ourselves. We have nothing to worry about sweetie. I had a talk with Mrs. Tilmitt and she was more than happy to look after the place for us, it won't be any trouble at all."

Riku didn't know what to say, he wasn't sure whether to feel happy or completely bummed. On one hand, he'd be able to get off the island and be someplace new. But on the other hand…he'd be leaving behind someone he was desperately falling for. Riku imagined the simple kiss he shared the night before, something he knew would be branded into his memory forever. The thought of leaving, especially when his friendship with Sora was obviously going in a more serious direction was something he was having trouble grasping.

"Where exactly are we going?" he asked his mother, suddenly not caring for the coffee in his hand. "How long are we going to be gone?"

Yunalesca shrugged, "I'm not sure Riku, perhaps several weeks. But we are going to Holly City for a couple days. I've already made the arrangements. I really want us to enjoy ourselves. Why? Don't you want to go?"

Riku was fighting with both sides of his brain, and the look his mother was giving him was making him feel like his options were very limited. He cast his gaze aside, finding the floor a more suitable place to look at.

"No, it's a great idea mom, I really appreciate it. I know it must have been hard for you to decide, so I'm with you. When do we leave?"

"Right after your finals, we have a boat that will take us to the airport 15 miles north of here. So you have to have all of your things packed before then."

Riku felt his lungs constrict, "Oh…well, I'll be sure to have my things ready by tonight. This is great mom…really great."

"I'm so glad," Yunalesca said as she embraced Riku, smothering him against her chest. "You'll see, this is exactly what we need."

"Yeah mom, I can't wait," he lied, feeling the world halt around him.

X

Sora was pulling into the student parking, positioning his Mini Cooper as close to campus as he could. He got out and scanned the area, his eyes wanting to find a familiar white vehicle belonging to a very particular person. Sadly, the Audi wasn't there and opted to head to class; perhaps he'd have better luck during lunch. The halls were bustling with students, each one with a notebook or a textbook securely in their hands as they desperately filled their brains with extra pieces of information. Sora was completely confident that he would do well in his finals; the studying he did last night was more than enough.

"Oooh Sora," a voice rang through the hall, stopping Sora and making him acknowledge the call. He turned to see Kairi, this time sporting a new Coach purse under her arm. The brunet waved at her, gripping the strap to his side bag with his free hand.

"Hey Kairi, got a little hung up yesterday?" he asked, remembering the fact that Kairi failed to return after lunch.

"Oh, that," she muttered, "it's no big deal, it was just gym class, it's not like we _really_ do anything for finals. So, give me the details, do anything interesting after school?"

"_You could say that."_

"Not really, just studied a lot. Riku came over for a while though, nearly fell asleep doing so too. I don't get it, he gets almost perfect grades, but he seems so bored with class. It just doesn't make sense to me."

"Well who wouldn't be bored with class? I've gone half the year without attending some classes and I still manage to pass."

"_Yeah, and I know why."_

"Anyways, have you seen Riku at all this morning, I was hoping that I could catch him before our first final." Sora expressed, sending a quick look around the hall.

Kairi pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes slowly as she observed the brunet. "You guys did something, didn't you? Spill it, now."

Sora gave her a horrified look, the color in his face paling for a split second. Kairi grabbed a hold of Sora's arm, smiling devilishly at the taller boy. "Oh, my, god, you DID do something!"

Several students passing by gave them a weird look, not at all amused with Kairi's current hysterics. Sora tried to release his arm, but Kairi was clamped on tight and was apparently, not going to budge.

"We didn't Kairi, I swear! Now, let go of my arm before it falls off." The red haired girl, with new blonde streaks replacing the pink, released her vicious grip on his arm and placed both hands behind her back.

"You can't lie to me," she sang, feeling completely giddy. "I can tell when someone is trying to bluff their way out."

"Yeah Sora, why bother lying? I mean, by what you said yesterday, I would have guessed that the two of you wouldn't care if people knew."

Kairi and Sora turned, coming face to face with Tidus and the surprising figure of Cloud, a pair of wolf earrings adorning his earlobes. The taller blonde was standing right behind Tidus, his hand securely at his waist. Kairi knew a little something about their relationship, but never before had she actually seen them together. This was a first for her, and she made sure to keep a mental track of everything said. She was, after all, a gossip queen.

"Uh, boys, ever heard of P.D.A.?" Kairi asked, placing the back of one hand against her hip. "Cause your little thing going on is most likely against the rules."

"Like you care," Tidus lashed out. "Stay out of it Kairi, I don't have anything against you."

"If you're going to be bothering a friend of mine, then yeah, you do have something against me. Now, why don't you take your sorry excuse for an ass with your little boyfriend there and take a hike."

"Touche!" Tidus exclaimed, clicking his tongue. "Can't fight your own battles, Sora?"

The brunet didn't seem bothered by his words. Instead he turned his back to the duo and began to walk away, leaving Kairi somewhat confused. She hurried after though, making sure to stick her tongue out at the boys.

"What the hell was that about?" Kairi asked the brunet, trying to match her speed to his. "Did something happen between you guys yesterday? What did he say?"

"It's nothing," Sora let out, "Riku and I ran into him at the beach yesterday and he was running his mouth just like he was doing right now. I wasn't bothered by it, cause I could care less what he thinks of me."

"So, the whole thing about people knowing, what did he mean by that?"

"Look," Sora put out, "I appreciate you backing me up, but I don't think I have the right to tell you without Riku knowing. If you want to know, go ask him yourself, I'm heading to class." He walked off, leaving Kairi standing alone in the hall, a finger resting underneath her chin.

"_So something IS going on between Sora and Riku."_

Kairi wasn't offended by Sora's lack of response; instead, she smiled at the thought. She let out a sigh, glancing at one of the many clocks littering the archways throughout the school.

"I guess I should head to class."

X

Riku was struggling with the questions staring back up at him from the paper sitting on his desk, the small print taunting him and playing with his head. He still couldn't get over what he had found out that morning, he never would have guessed the one time they were going away was the one time he wished to stay. He began tapping the point of the pencil against the blank paper of his English final, the few sentences he managed to scribble a mere taste of what he was truly capable. But at this moment, nothing really seemed to matter to him.

The bell rang after 90 long, and somewhat painful minutes, releasing the students from their torture for 45 minutes before they would once again have to return to their prison. Riku tossed his paper on the growing pile on his teacher's desk.

"Have a nice summer everyone," she said aloud, "make sure to read this summer and I'll see you next year."

Riku didn't pay attention, he wanted nothing more than to find a certain boy and break the terrible news. There was a bustle through the halls as he walked along, his eyes scanning the area for that pair of blue eyes. He knew Sora had just gotten out of math, so he figured the brunet could be on his way out to the parking lot since the classroom was closer there than to any other part of the school. Riku had his head slightly down, his hair cascading down his chest.

_"What am I going to tell him? After last night…he's going to think I was offended by it. Could he…think that what I tell him is an excuse to be away from him?"_

Riku was having issues with the nature of the situation, but he knew Sora, he knew that he would understand. But there was still a small piece of him that felt fear in the possibility of Sora taking things the wrong way. He wanted that possibility to not exist, but if one thinks about it, then that possibility is created. Riku walked out into the bright sun, momentarily blinded by the reflecting light bouncing off all the windshields. Once he adjusted his vision, he looked around, trying to find the maroon colored Mini Cooper. He ended up finding it, but not the way his eyes wanted to see it. The front window was gone, the edges still crumbling with polygonal shapes of broken glass. Riku immediately ran up to the small vehicle only to see a giant boulder sitting oh so comfortably in the passenger seat, shattered glass was everywhere.

"What the fuck?" he said aloud, taking a look at the rest of the car and from every angle making sure there wasn't any other damage done. "Who the hell did this?"

"Riku."

The silver haired teen turned and was met with the shocked faced of Sora and a wide-eyed Kairi at his side, her Coach bag dropping from her arm and spilling its contents on the ground. The fact that Kairi's 20-munny vial of Lip Venom was rolling away from her and she didn't care to chase after it clearly indicated that she was _never _expecting to see something quite like this. Sora quickly walked up to his vehicle, his hands gripping the strap to his side bag furiously.

"What…who…" but he was at a loss for words, there wasn't anything else he could muster the strength to say as he looked at the remnants of his broken window.

"I'll go get Mr. Seymour," Kairi said, "This is terrible." She ran off, picking up her bag as she took off. Riku walked up to Sora's side and brought a comforting arm around his back, his hand rubbing circles against the white fabric of his shirt.

"Don't worry Sora, we'll catch who did this." The taller teen reassured, noticing that Sora was still suffering from the initial shock. The brunet remained silent; then again, Riku didn't expect anything less. He simply soothed his back, waiting patiently for Kairi to return with the principal at her side. It didn't take her more than two minutes before she was barreling down the stone steps with Mr. Seymour, and his secretary, Quistis Trepe. They both stopped short of the Mini Cooper, both taking a second to take in what it was that had happened.

"Oh my, this is awful," Ms. Trepe said aloud, speaking for everyone when she said this.

"Is this your car, Sora?" asked Mr. Seymour, noticing that Riku was protectively hovering behind him. "This is absolutely unacceptable. Don't worry; I'll make sure whoever did this takes full responsibility. Would you like me to call the authorities for you?"

Sora let out a heavy sigh, "Thank you for your concern sir, but it's alright, I'll call for a tow truck and they can take care of it from there. Just…catch whoever did this, please Mr. Seymour."

The blue-haired principal walked up to the brunet and gripped his shoulder, comfortably, yet firmly. "Do not worry, I'll see to it personally."

He sped off, with Ms. Trepe right on his heels, chattering away. Kairi let out a little gasp when she noticed random pieces of makeup littering the pavement. She cursed under her breath as she bent down to pick up her belongings, making sure to look up at Sora and offer him a warm smile.

"They'll catch them, I'm sure of it," Riku spoke from behind Sora, his words carrying softly into his ear.

"I already know who did it," he expressed, certainty in his voice. "There's only one person who I can think of."

Riku didn't need to be told, he too already knew of the blonde haired little delinquent. He took a step back, his hand curling into a comfortable fist. Sora noticed this action and took a hold of his arm, restraining him where he stood.

"Don't, leave it alone Riku, I don't want to pick a fight."

"But that little piece of shit broke your window! Do you seriously expect me to sit around and not beat the living crap out of him?" the silver haired boy exclaimed, his aqua-colored eyes filled with fury. Sora looked into their depths, oddly flattered for the fact that this anger was because of what had happened to him. But he wasn't about to let this get out of hand, Sora wouldn't risk Riku getting into trouble when they only had one day left of school. He surprised the taller boy by placing a hand on his cheek, letting the heat of his fingers melt against the skin of his face. Riku's eyes lost their edge and they quickly softened, staring back into the cerulean orbs. Kairi had finished picking up her things as she noticed this little interaction, her hands tingling with excitement.

"Oh, I knew it! I knew it! The two of you are together!"

Their little moment was shattered by Kairi's yells, but Sora and Riku couldn't help but smile at one another as their cheeks reddened with a slight twinge of embarrassment. Riku felt odd, he never blushed, ever.

"This calls for a celebratory lunch on me, who's up for it?"

The two friends accepted the invitation, but warned Kairi about returning back on time for their last final of the day. "Oh you guys, the two of you are no fun."

"You guys go on ahead," Sora said, motioning for them to head off to Kairi's car. "I've got to make a call and have them come and take care of this."

They walked off, Riku letting his eyes linger for a few seconds more as the brunet dialed some phone number. Kairi unlocked the yellow Porsche, dropping her purse in the back seat as she got in. Riku followed, his mind currently struggling yet again with the dilemma regarding his leave.

"What is it now?" she asked, rolling her eyes as she put her key in the ignition. "Isn't there a single time when something _can't_ be wrong?"

"It's a long story, I would rather not talk about it right now, not yet."

"That bad?"

_"How would you feel if you had to leave right when things were starting to get a little more serious?"_

"Sort of…but, I'll figure it out."

Sora walked up to the car, letting Riku know he had to get out in order for him to get in. The brunet fell somewhat weird sitting in the back seat of Kairi's car, then again, the last time he was in there it was under extreme conditions where he had no say in the matter. But a smile played across his lips, he never regretted that night.

"Okay, so, we've got…30 minutes, let's get something to eat, I'm starving." Kairi announced, speaking for everyone at the moment as she pulled out of her spot.

X

Lunch presented an opportunity for Riku to talk with Sora, but with the constant jabbering of Kairi, things didn't really flow in the way he wanted it to. The trio was currently going their separate ways as they headed towards their 4th period finals. Sora was off to chemistry, Riku to gym, and Kairi to creative writing. Riku figured that after running the track for a while, perhaps his head would clear up and he wouldn't feel the same gut wrenching feeling in the pit of his stomach. He waved to Sora, letting him disappear up a series of stairs with a grin. Kairi giggled and fled, leaving Riku to wander alone towards the gym off in the distance.

"Alright, listen up class," Zack's voice echoed through the large building, "Your final is rather simple, all of you have to finish a mile around the track under 8:00 minutes. For some that's more than necessary, for others…well, that was the point of taking gym for the whole year, to improve your time."

Riku was sitting on the glossy gym floor, wearing a pair of light blue shorts ending around his knees and a white cotton shirt with the school's emblem on the sleeves. The class let out a grumble as they heard him speak, letting Zack know that they weren't too happy with his idea. Riku didn't care, he knew he could finish in 4 minutes and opted to zone the teacher out as his eyes wandered around. That's when he noticed the familiar figure of Cloud walking through the double doors, his muscles clearly poking through the tight shirt he was currently wearing.

"_What the hell is he doing here?"_

"Everyone, unfortunately I've got some personal business I need to take care of, so my T.A. here is going to be timing and recording your scores for the period. I expect all of you to treat him like you would any other teacher. If I hear any negative reports, it will be an automatic fail. I'm serious."

Zack nodded his head at Cloud, giving him his clipboard as the dark haired man left the gym. Riku casually ran a hand through his hair, noticing that Cloud was peering at him every so often from his clipboard.

"Okay, everyone, you've got 5 minutes to stretch before the run so take advantage of it."

The class grudgingly stood up, immediately beginning their exercises as the spiky haired teen walked around eyeing the students. He slowly made his way around; advising every so often to stretch farther down, straighten their back, whatever. The silver haired teen knew he was clearly being watched, but tried to ignore the prying eyes.

"Stay behind when everyone heads out," Cloud whispered, walking swiftly behind Riku.

He shot the blonde a confused look but figured he would find out what he wanted soon enough.

"Alright, everyone head out, I'll be right behind you guys, make sure to be ready by the time I arrive."

Once again a sea of moans filled the air, several of the students not happy with the way one of their own fellow classmates was addressing them. But they followed through, leaving out the double doors and heading for the track. Riku walked along, but stopped his stride as he neared the exit. He looked back, watching as Cloud tapped a pencil against the surface of the clipboard.

"What do you want Cloud?" was the first thing to come out of his mouth.

Cloud didn't respond right away, instead he took his time as he neared the slightly, slightly shorter silver haired teen. "I'm sure you know about Sora's car."

Riku felt the familiar anger wash over him as he heard the words. "What do you care? That is, unless you were behind it then I can see why you'd be worried."

"Look, I'm sorry that happened, but it wasn't my fault. I'm pretty sure you know that Tidus did this, but I want you to know that I had nothing to do with it, so I'm asking you to leave me out of it."

"Did you know that he was going to do it?" Riku snapped back, pressing his back against the handles of the doors. "Cause if you knew and didn't do something to stop him, then you're just as guilty."

Cloud bit his lip and Riku could have sworn that his blonde spikes twitched. "So you did know." He remained silent, gripping the clipboard even tighter.

"Tidus isn't in his right mind. All he's been talking about for the past couple months is "Riku this" and "Riku that" I'm so fucking sick of it. When I decided to go out with him, I was expecting him to be paying the attention to me, but all he talks about is you."

"Then you should have dumped him as soon as you had the chance, I'm not responsible for your sour feelings," Riku blurted out, feeling the conversation was going nowhere. "But clear something up for me. It's been bugging me ever since we ran into Tidus yesterday."

Cloud remained silent; signaling for Riku to ask whatever it was he wanted to say. "He mentioned that you felt like I used you. Now, I really shouldn't care about it, but it struck a nerve, cause I honestly don't feel like I'm that type of person. Did you tell him that or did he make it up?"

Cloud smirked; the way his lips curved sent uncomfortable shivers up Riku's spine. "Riku, you've got a reputation, everyone knows that you are promiscuous. I knew it, but I still went along with it. I told Tidus that you used me, but I did it as an attempt to shut him up with his constant babbling. I like him a lot, but the way things are going…I don't think I'm going to last much longer."

Riku scoffed, "What I've done in the past is the past, I'm different now. Thanks for clearing that up for me though, now I don't have to waste my time thinking about it." Riku finished as he left the gym, only to return a second later.

"You know, I don't feel like running anymore, mind if you just jot down a good time for me? I kind of have elsewhere to be."

Cloud didn't know whether to laugh or sneer, "Are you kidding? You can't walk off, Zack is expecting me to do good job around here."

"Oh, I think I can…unless you want me to have a nice chat with Mr. Seymour regarding the little accident in the parking lot. I'm sure it would go well on your record."

Cloud's face paled, his eyes going wide, "You wouldn't."

Riku walked past the blonde, his mouth inches from his ear. "Try me."

He left, waving a hand as he vanished into the locker room, leaving Cloud to grit his teeth in frustration.

X

Tidus happened to have a free period, but according school rules, he was not allowed to leave campus until the class was officially over. He didn't really mind, he had no problem sitting around the computer lab playing games to help pass the time. The blonde was sitting in the back, away from the freshman currently taking their final online. He wasn't paying them any attention as he finished off an alien enemy on his screen, bearing his teeth in triumph. Tidus felt a distinct poke on his back and looked out of the corner of his eye, noticing a brown haired girl standing sheepishly behind him. He recognized her as Selphie, one of his fellow sophomores and greeted her quietly, making sure his voice didn't carry out to loud just in case the teacher was looking in his direction.

"Hey Selphie, what's up?" he asked in hushed tones.

"I'm a T.A. for one of the teachers this period and you're in his first period class and he sent me to get you. He mentioned something about your test and wanted to discuss it with you."

Tidus pursed his lips, a bit perplexed as to why his physics teacher would want to see him. He simply sighed and quit his game, making sure to save on whatever planet he was currently trekking through with his beefed up soldier. Selphie walked out of the computer lab with Tidus right behind. Once outside they were able to speak normally, no longer having to worry about the evils glares coming from Mr. Hojo.

"What exactly did he say was wrong with it? Is he thinking that I copied the answers off of someone else?" he rambled, hoping the petite brunet would have the answers. But as they turned a corner, Tidus felt a sudden force grab him from behind and slam him face first into a wall, the impact causing tiny lights to float around his vision.

"Thanks Selphie, I owe you one," came the distinct voice of a silver haired teen, the very words leaking out his mouth causing Tidus to sweat under his grip. The blonde painfully moved his head to the side, managing to catch a glimpse of Selphie giving Riku a peace sign.

"Yep, no problem Riku. Knock some manners into that thick skull of his." And then she was gone, leaving the two isolated in the shadows of a hallway. Riku pressed the tip of his elbow into his side as his lips came dangerously close to his ear, the hot breath causing shivers to travel to a place they really shouldn't be going.

"All right Tidus, here's the deal," Riku said, making sure to let every syllable drag out. "If I ever catch your scrawny ass near anything belonging to Sora, or Sora himself, pray to the fucking Faiths that I don't come after you." Riku applied pressure against the shorter boy, causing his face to scrunch up against the stone of the wall.

"Fu-ck…you," the blonde managed to spurt out as his lips kissed the grainy surface. He quickly regretted it when he felt Riku shove his elbow into the middle of his back, the sharp pain running up his spine.

"I'm warning you. Don't…fuck…with Sora. If you need a little more convincing I'll bring Mr. Seymour along, I bet he'd be delighted to expel your ass." Riku freed Tidus from his grasp, giving him a sneer as he walked away, his footsteps fading as he went along. He was left with a dull pain in his back, and panting against the wall, his breath sucking in small specks of dust only to cough them out seconds later. Tidus slumped down to his knees, his head drooping as he felt the corners of his eyes tear up.

X

Sora walked out of the classroom, only to be bump into Riku who was standing beside the entrance. He gave the taller boy a smile, feeling his spirits lifting with the simple gesture. Riku put an arm around him, letting Sora relax against it as they walked along, ignoring the looks people were giving them.

"I checked the parking lot, the tow truck took your car already. So I'm guessing you're in need of a ride home?"

Sora beamed, "If that's not to much trouble. There's actually something I want to talk to you about.

Riku was immediately amused, yet at the same time, figuring out when would be the best time to tell him what he'd been meaning to talk about all day. "Oh? Well, if you don't mind, why don't we head over to my place quickly so I can change? I promise I won't take long."

Sora fidgeted with a button on his shirt, "But what about your mom, won't she be home right now? I can't let her see me with you, we know this."

Riku felt his heart sink, "I know, but she's shopping right now, she won't be home for a couple hours."

Sora could see a difference in Riku's eyes and he felt something wrong, like there was something the taller teen did not want to say. But he didn't point anything out as they made their way to the parking lot and sped off, driving towards Riku's place a mile or so from campus. Riku didn't bother with the air conditioner and rolled down the windows, letting cool air rush in from the outside. Riku licked his lips, the grip on the steering wheel tightening as he formulated and rearranged words in his head.

_"Sora…I wasn't expecting this, but my mom made plans for us to go traveling. I'm sorry…I wish I could stay behind, but I can't disappoint her. She seems so happy with it."_

Riku shook his head.

_"Sora, I'm going to be away for a couple weeks, it was a total surprise when my mom told me. I feel kind of bad, I don't want to leave you behind…but I don't have a choice, my mom is really looking forward to this."_

Riku gave a sigh, nothing was sounding right to him. No matter what he came up with, he simply crumpled the words up and tossed them into the recesses of his mind.

"Riku, what's wrong? You look a bit pensive. Did something happen?"

The silver haired teen turned momentarily and reached a free hand over, taking a hold of Sora's hand and intertwining their fingers. Sora looked down at their digits, feeling his cheeks redden.

"I'll tell you about it later, I need a bit more time figuring out how to tell you."

Sora cocked his head, a small frown caressing his face.

"_Did I do something wrong?"_

X

Sora and Riku walked into the brunet's condo, once again being met by Figaro as he bounded towards the door. He bent down and scratched his belly once the kitten rolled on his back, exposing his underside for them to pay him attention. Riku mimicked his actions and scratched Figaro until he decided to turn back on his paws and scamper away.

"You feeling hungry Riku?" Sora asked, picking up his cell phone. "We can order out again."

He shook his head, _"How can I eat when my stomach is constantly jumping around?"_

"Maybe later." Sora stated sitting his side bag aside, letting it slip against the counter in the kitchen. "Can you handle something to drink?"

"Sure, anything's fine."

Sora searched through the fridge, finding two bottles of berry flavored mineral water. He tossed one of the bottles at the taller teen, catching it without much trouble. They both uncapped their drinks, taking a long sip as they looked at one another. Figaro was playing with a piece of string at the end of his pant leg, the edges frayed with countless white strings. Their little adventure back to Riku's house wasn't as bad as Sora was originally thinking. Yunalesca's black Mercedes wasn't anywhere in sight as Riku parked up the driveway. He went in and came back out in two minutes, wearing a black shirt with neon green lettering on the front and a pair of washed out blue jeans with one of the back pockets sporting a star shaped emblem. Sora had to admit that Riku was looking very good, and his eyes were currently wandering up and down his front.

"You could at least wait until I turn around before you undress me with your eyes," Riku blurted out, stirring Sora from his little fantasy. "Although I don't really mind."

Sora blushed a bit, he was getting used to it by now. The moment was short lived though, for Sora knew there was something troubling Riku. He walked into the living room, sending his gaze out the large windows facing the sea, the blue waves shimmering from the powerful rays of the sun.

"So, you said there was something you wanted to talk to me about?" Riku asked, remembering what it was that Sora had said when he left the classroom 20 minutes or so ago.

"Yeah," the brunet started, brushing a stray spike away, "something happened. Well, something rather serious, but I doubt I looked worried."

Riku walked a bit closer with Figaro still pawing at the small white tassels at the end of his pant legs. "Oh? What is it? Does it have anything to do with your mom?"

"Sort of," Sora cut in as a "V" formation of island birds flew across the windows. "My grandmother suffered a heart attack yesterday and she's been hospitalized in the capital."

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Riku said, interrupting him.

"No, no, it's okay. She's stable…but she's not going to be around for much longer. Mom told me the heart attack was really serious and it would be best for someone to be around her for the remainder of her life. Honestly, I really could care less about her. She never liked my dad…she never liked me."

"Oh…" Riku dragged out, "So…what's going to happen with her?"

"Mom left this morning for Holly City, she's going to be staying with her until she passes. Which means, I'm going to be alone for the next couple weeks, or months. It all depends on how long my grandma holds out."

Bombshell number two was just dropped. Riku swallowed the lump in his throat. He was _not _expecting something like that. Sora was smiling back at him, his cerulean eyes beaming at him with an eager happiness.

"That means we won't have to worry about you coming over, she won't be around." Sora said walking up to Riku and wrapping his arms around his waist, letting his head lean comfortably against his chest. Sora could feel his heart beat through the black fabric of his shirt, a rather furious pounding resonating in his ear.

"Umm..Sora," Riku was quick to break the serenity, taking Sora by the hand as he led them over to a couch and sat down. The brunet looked at him, cocking his slightly to the side. "Yeah?"

"There's something I have to tell you too, I've been trying to figure out a way to tell you all day, but I think I should be blunt about it."

Sora furrowed his brow, resting an arm against the cushion in order to support his head. "Does this have something to do with yesterday?"

Riku smiled at him, raising a hand to his chin and letting his fingers dance along his jaw. "No, not at all. I admit I was a bit surprised since you were the one who kissed me first. And honestly…"

Riku leaned forward, capturing Sora's lips with his own. There was nothing hidden behind the kiss, only the simplicity of the act. "…It was the most meaningful kiss I have ever had." Riku finished once he broke apart, his lips along with Sora's slightly wet. But the moment was short lived, and Riku's eyes narrowed thinking he'd better tell Sora before anything else happened.

"Sora, mom's made plans for us this summer. We're going to be traveling for a couple weeks to get away, to relax and try to forget all the stuff we've gone through. I just found out today…and I wanted you to be the first to know."

The brunet took a hold of Riku's hand. "There's nothing wrong with that. You and your mom should spend some time away."

"But…we're going to be gone for a while, Sora, we're leaving right after finals tomorrow."

Sora felt his lips open and close, but nothing came out as he looked at Riku, his eyes letting him know that this was something he had been struggling to say. The brunet took his hand away, resting it against his chest. "Oh…well…make sure to have fun for me then."

Sora walked away from the living room as he headed for his room, leaving Riku alone. The silver haired teen didn't waste a second in going after him, the knots in his stomach twisting and turning with every step he took.

"Sora, wait, don't be upset," he voiced, stepping into the sanctuary of his room, noticing the brunet resting on the bed with his eyes set on the ceiling. "If I had a choice I would stay, but my mom, she's…"

"Riku." Sora interrupted, stopping him mid-sentence. "I'm fine, I'm not upset. I've spent the better portion of two months in this building, alone. You going away for a couple weeks isn't going to kill me. I've had to deal with being alone Riku, it was hard at first, but I've gotten used to it."

"But have you thought how I would feel without you?" Riku was quick to point out, silencing Sora and making him sit up to stare directly at him. "I'm more afraid of what I will do not having you with me."

Figaro jumped up on the bed, sitting on his back legs as he looked from one teen to the other. Sora scratched the back of his head, earning him a happy purr. "Seriously?"

Riku walked over to him, placing both hands on his shoulders as he bent down on his knees to meet eye to eye with Sora. "Yes, I'm dead serious. These last two months have been some of the hardest for me, but you have been there to ease the pain. Getting to know you has made my life feel more worthwhile, you've become someone important to me."

Sora was on the verge of tears, but fought against them in a struggling battle he was desperately losing. "Shut up Riku, you're making me tear up." He laughed, wiping the corners of his eyes. "You don't have to worry about me, I'll still be here when you come back."

Riku embraced the shorter boy, causing him to tumble back so his back was on the mattress with Riku pressed against him. It was the first time they were this close to each other, and both couldn't argue with the fact that it felt so incredibly right. Riku slid his fingers with Sora's, the act making Sora shed a tear.

"Come with me," Riku whispered, licking the tear away.

"I…can't…it wouldn't work, I…"

"We'll figure something out, I won't leave without you."

Sora looked into the sea-foam green that was Riku's eyes, the intensity behind them making him feel like anything was possible. They smiled at each other, only to break out into a laugh as they held onto one another, the ideas currently going through their mind creating a sense of excitement.

"This is crazy," Sora said aloud, running a hand into Riku's long silver strands.

"The only thing that's crazy would be me leaving you behind, come on, it'll be fun."

Sora smiled at him, "If you say so Riku, if you say so."

tbc

**A/N: (grins evilly) I feel like a tease, having them be all touchy and not get frisky. As for the whole rock smashing through his windshield, I draw that from experience. Yep, some bastard threw a rock the size of Texas through my window. May Karma come around and bite him/her on the ass! Hope you liked! Please r&r!**


	8. Flights and Neon Lights

Disclaimer: I own the plot, and the rest belong to the moguls known as Sqaure-Enix and Disney.

**A/N: I want to thank all the readers and reviewers for their constant support. I still can't believe how much people seem to enjoy this. I hope you all like this chapter, it's the longest one so far. Thanks again!**

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 8**

**Flights and Neon Lights**

Countless eyes were watching the clock, just waiting for the hand to move a mere few centimeters towards the "12". It was the last day of finals, a Wednesday, a rather odd day to finish the academic school year, but the students were wasting no time thinking about such a thing. Riku was sitting in the computer lab, having finished his final online ages ago and left with nothing to do but to think, and rethink the plans he and Sora had devised while lying on his bed the previous night. It was much simpler than either could have imagined. Sora was after all, the son of a multibillionaire so it was only natural that he had special connections. Riku and Yunalesca would go ahead and leave that same afternoon, taking a ferry ride up to a smaller island where they would board a plane taking them to the capital. Sora, on the other hand, would be leaving the following day, something that the taller boy had a bit of a concern with.

"Riku, it's late notice, there's no way for him to get here this soon. I'll be fine, I'll be in Holly City tomorrow."

The brunet followed by kissing Riku on the cheek, letting the warm feeling of reassurance wash over him as both tumbled back into bed, holding one another.

"_That guy had better follow through. Otherwise I'm going to kill something if I don't see you standing in the streets of the capital by the time I wake up from my restless hours of sleep."_

Riku was off in his little world, so he wasn't aware of the presence standing behind him with wiggling fingers coming closer and closer to his neck. He felt a sudden weight press against him from behind and turned his head to catch the smiling face of Kairi, a set of hairclips keeping her bangs back.

"Why Riku, are we daydreaming here? My, this is so unlike you. I don't think I've ever seen such a sappy look on your face before."

The taller teen swatted at her like one would a moth, but grinned at the shorter girl. "I think you should keep your comments to yourself."

"Ah hmmm!"

Riku and Kairi winced at the sound, knowing very well Mr. Hojo wasn't at all happy with the little conversation going on between the two friends. He gave them a warning look before turning back to whatever it was he was working on his computer.

"So," Kairi began in a more tolerable tone, "Did you get to talk with Sora about what was bugging you?"

Riku nodded, "Yeah, things are fine. Although I'm not sure how these next couple days are going to go."

The redhead gave him a quizzical look and Riku failed to remember that he had never mentioned his trip to her. He spent the next minute or so letting her know of his mother's plans and she pursed her lips when he finished.

"You're going to leave me alone?" she asked sarcastically, "What am I supposed to do while you're gone then?"

Riku rolled his eyes, "You've got Seifer, and I bet you can figure out something to do."

Kairi cocked her head, "Yeah, point. But he's no fun at times. Maybe I can convince daddy to let me take the yacht out, I'm sure he'd like that. Well, if I don't see you, good luck and have fun. I'll miss you!"

Kairi wandered off, talking to herself as Riku eyed the clock once more. The class went into a frenzy the second the bell rang, signaling at long last the end of school. Mr. Hojo didn't bother wishing anyone a good summer or anything as the students ran out the door, papers flying as they passed. Riku packed his things and walked out, noticing that the halls were slowly being trashed with papers, books, and an assortment of other scholastic materials. Riku maneuvered around the chaos, wanting to leave campus as soon as possible. He still had a couple more things to finish before he was anywhere near ready to go. Well, that and to take Sora home before he himself took off. The brunet's last final of the day was gym, so he walked out into the courtyard, making his way to the building off in the distance. He saw as a figure walked out the double doors, his brown hair hanging slightly lower than usual, perhaps due to the mile he undoubtedly ran. Sora beamed at Riku, no longer wearing his school uniform but instead a sleeveless brown shirt with the word "Titan" scrawled in blocky letters along the hem and a pair of baby blue surfer shorts. Riku had to admit that he liked what he saw. They met halfway where Sora decided to stand on the tips of his feet to capture Riku in a kiss. The silver haired teen accepted it without too much problem and dragged his tongue along the bottom of his lip, earning him a soft gasp from the brunet. They broke the kiss sooner or later; realizing that time wasn't really on their hands.

"As much as I would like to do this all day," Riku began, pulling an arm around the smaller boy, "We'd better get going."

They rambled as they walked, quickly coming to a near empty parking lot. The two got into the Audi, Sora waving to the unmistakable figure of Hayner as he walked over to his own car. The blonde smiled at him before turning back and getting in, speeding off once the car burst into life. Riku and Sora left the school grounds, not bothering to look back at the building, not for two and a half months that is. Riku turned the stereo on, letting the heavy bass carry throughout the vehicle, numbing their ears and thoroughly enjoying it.

"I still can't believe I'm doing this," Sora attempted to voice out through the sounds of the music. "If we get into trouble this is all falling on your shoulders."

"Don't worry," Riku reassured, running a free hand up Sora's neck from behind. "I'll take full responsibility if it ever happens. But let's have fun, just think about that instead."

Sora nestled his head back, letting it rest against Riku's strong arm. "I wish I could stay with Roxas while we're there. But his mom is friends with mine, and I don't want her knowing I'm the city."

Sora had told Riku a bit about him, mostly how they had grown up together. The aqua-eyed teen didn't feel at all jealous the way Sora would go off about him, it was only natural for someone to boast about his best friend.

"Have you given him a call though?" Riku asked, taking a right.

"Not yet, I haven't talked to him very often lately. But I'll definitely give him a call tonight. He'd kill me if I didn't tell him that I would be coming."

They continued for several minutes and soon arrived outside the condominium building. Sora let out a sigh, turning to face Riku. "Well, you don't have time to waste. I don't want your mom getting suspicious."

"It's okay," he replied, moving slightly closer, "If I'm a couple minutes late she won't mind."

Riku kissed him, letting their arms move so they could embrace one another despite the limited amount of space inside the car. Sora opened his mouth just slightly, letting the tip of his tongue meet with Riku's. The taller boy gripped his bottom lip, grazing it ever so lightly with his teeth. Sora could feel the crimson make its way across his face and pulled away, gasping for air as he laid a hand on Riku's cheek. He looked back at the brunet, smiling.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he stated firmly as Sora unbuckled his seatbelt. "Make sure to give me a call the minute you get to Holly City."

Sora nodded, "Yeah, I'll do just that. Now…get going."

Riku gave him a quick peck on the cheek as he got out, turning to wave goodbye as the silver haired teen drove off. Sora touched his lips, wishing he had a few more seconds with him.

"My, you seem awfully happy."

The brunet's eyes went wide at the sound of the voice, feeling embarrassed that whoever it was had seen the little show he and Riku were putting on. He turned his attention towards the voice, immediately relieved to see the blonde haired girl named Alice. Sora had talked with her on several occasions during the last two months, but never for a long period of time. He smiled at her, rubbing the back of his head.

"Er, did you see anything?"

She gave him an amused look, "What do you mean?"

Sora let out a sigh, so she hadn't seen him.

"You mean how you were kissing that boy in the white car?"

Sora felt the familiar feeling of a blush creep it's way across his face. "Oh, sorry about that, we weren't aware that anyone was watching."

Alice chuckled, bringing a hand to cover her mouth as she did. "Oh it's quite alright Sora. I don't mind I've grown accustomed to it while going to Spira High School. Everyone's so much more free minded around these parts. I think it's actually quite cute."

They walked into the building, with Sora still featuring a red hued face. "So, when are you heading back home?" he asked, knowing that she was on foreign exchange and would be returning home soon.

"I'm actually going to be staying for a couple more weeks," she said as they neared the elevator. "My host family wants me to enjoy some free time without worrying about school and I was more than happy to accept the offer."

A light bulb clicked in Sora's head. "Hey Alice, since you're going to be here for a while longer, I was wondering if you could do me a favor," he said as the doors to the elevator flung open, letting them walk in.

"If it's in my power then sure, what is it?"

Sora brushed a spike away, "I'm going to be going away tomorrow, and I'm not exactly sure when I'll be back. But I've got a kitten and I don't have anyone to watch him while I'm gone, so I was wondering if you could…"

But Sora didn't need to finish; Alice's eyes were already gleaming with delight. "Oh you've got a kitten! That's fantastic, of course I'll watch him, I love cats! I have a kitten back home myself named Dina. I miss her so much, but sure, I'd be delighted to watch him for you."

Sora smiled at her, feeling the mechanical gears come to sudden stop. "If you don't mind I'll bring him over tonight since I have to be up early tomorrow."

"Oh that's quite alright, what's his name though?"

"Figaro," he replied, watching as Alice left the elevator.

"That's a lovely name, how curious. Well, I look forward to seeing you later tonight, till then!"

The doors flew closed, the gears once again working the elevator up to the 7th floor. Sora dug around his pocket, grabbing a hold of the cell phone stashed in the fabric. He flipped it open and began dialing a number. He walked out the doors when they opened, the familiar ringing resonating against his ear.

"About damn time you give me a call," a voice blurted out on the other side.

Sora grinned, happy to hear the voice, "I know, I know. But don't worry Roxas, I'll fill you in as I pack." The brunet knew Roxas was more than likely raising an eyebrow at that very second and sighed.

"Where should I begin?"

X

Riku was walking down the stairs with two suitcases in hand, his muscles flexing rather nicely with the weight. He was dressed in a hooded white shirt and a pair of khaki colored cargo pants, the pockets having many zippers. Yunalesca was already at the door, her own monstrous luggage sitting on the porch.

"Hurry Riku, Mrs. Tilmitt is driving us down to the docks and we're making her wait."

Riku filed out the door, noticing Ellone Tilmitt and Selphie resting against their Lexus SUV. The petite girl walked up to him, offering to help with any of their belongings. The taller teen politely refused as he somehow managed to lift both his suitcases along with several of his mother's.

"Now Riku, you don't need to show off, we all know you're strong," Yunalesca teased, throwing on a pair of Gucci sunglasses. "You'll hurt yourself that way."

"I've got it mom, don't worry," he muttered, letting the suitcases drop in the back of the vehicle once Mrs. Tilmitt opened it. "See? No problem."

"Splendid, so, we all ready to go?" asked Mrs. Tilmitt, motioning for Selphie to get in.

"Thank you so much for doing this for us Ellone. You're already watching my store, this already to much." Yunalesca responded, getting into the passenger's seat with Riku in the back.

"It's nothing hun, I just want the two of you to have a good time and forget about things here. Selphie and I will do our best to keep things afloat."

Riku buckled his seatbelt, letting the leather strap restrict him in place as he stared out the window.

"You excited about going away?" Selphie asked, fixing her skirt. "It's been a while since you've been off the island, hasn't it?"

He nodded, "Yeah, it's been a long time. But my mom's happy and if I can make her feel better, then I'm all up for it."

The Lexus began to pull away from the sidewalk, the chrome rims sparkling as the sun pelted against the shiny material. The docks were located in the most northern part of the island, so it would be at least a 15-minute drive. Riku spent majority of the time chatting with Selphie, the other portion was spent worrying if things were going to work out. But he had faith in Sora, he was more than good looking, he was smart and dedicated. It was just that smidgen of doubt in the back of his head that was currently annoying him.

"Irvine's graduating tomorrow so I have to make sure I have the perfect outfit to wear to the ceremony," Selphie chirped in along the way. "He's going into the SEED reserves and won't be back for 6 months."

"You guys have been going out pretty steadily haven't you?" Yunalesca asked, having heard from the front. "I think it's incredibly adorable."

"Yeah…" she said, "it'll be a bit over a year now. I don't know if I'll be able to stand being away from him."

"_I know exactly what you mean."_ Riku thought.

Selphie scooted closer to Riku, making sure they adults were talking before she asked. "So, what did you end up doing to Tidus?"

The taller teen felt his lips curve into a grin, "I just made it perfectly clear to him that he was to not bother Sora again."

Selphie fidgeted with her fingers, "So, you guys ARE going out now, right?"

He looked at her smaller frame, noticing the pinkness to her cheeks, "I'm not sure…but it's getting there. Just…make sure not to mention it to your mom," he finished, letting his voice drop a couple of levels. Selphie nodded, she didn't know all the details, but she knew that Sora was involved with the whole ordeal regarding Yunalesca's divorce. They continued along, passing a plantation of Paopu trees with bright canary yellow blossoms filling every speck of green. Riku looked out at the trees, thinking that just perhaps, the fruit would be ripe by the time he returned.

X

Yunalesca and Riku were sitting inside the ferryboat, their luggage secured in the depths of the ship. They were some of the last to board and the workers weren't exactly happy when they noticed all the suitcases standing at their sides. But nevertheless, things were put away and they managed to find a pair of empty seats towards the back and away from majority of the people. They now faced an hour's journey across the sea, making their way to the island where their flight was waiting.

"Mom, you never mentioned what hotel we were going to stay at," Riku expressed realizing that because of the hastiness of their plans he failed to ask.

Yunalesca ran her fingers over her sunglasses, leaving prints all across the shiny surface of the lens. "Well, Riku, I've managed to secure us a condo in the city. Although I'm not sure how long we're going to stay. I don't really want to overdo our welcome."

Riku arched an eyebrow, "Mom, who exactly is letting us stay at this condo?"

Yunalesca smiled, "I had dinner with someone that came into Zanarkand's earlier this week, he's a wonderful man with a sophisticated sense of style. Then again, why wouldn't he be he is a famous fashion designer."

"And this fits with the condo how?" he asked, enjoying the fact that his mother was rather nervous talking about this person.

"Well dear, he's been traveling for a while now and it's actually thanks to him that we're going on vacation. Poor thing, he's suffered a lot and he made me realize that traveling would clear our heads, relax us. So, he offered us his condo in Holly City for as long as we're there."

Riku wasn't at all surprised with the way she was acting, after all, the last time she was dating someone it was over 17 years ago. This was a good thing for her, and Riku thanked whoever it was for making her feel this happy. The boat began to shove off, creating a multitude of ripples across the surface of the water. Yunalesca dug around her handbag, bringing out a small book and turning it to wherever she last left off.

"Ellone got me into these horrible smut novels, I feel a bit dirty reading these," she chuckled, making sure the pages where only visible to her.

Riku simply laughed, turning his attention away and concentrating on the view out the windows. Slowly, but surely the island began to drift away, becoming smaller and smaller as they continued.

X

It was dark by the time Sora had all his things together, although he wasn't sure how long he would spending in the capital so he went ahead and over packed. Two Louis Vuitton rolling suitcases lay against his closet doors, the light reflecting off the shiny metal zippers. Sora threw himself back on to his bed, letting his arms relax and feet dangle off the mattress. He took a look at the green numbers on his stereo currently reading a bit past eight. Sora found that there was nothing left to do as he lay there, replaying his plans for the following morning. Figaro was already at Alice's, who immediately squealed with glee when she took a look at the black and white kitten. Sora scratched the back of his head as he handed Alice a couple of his things to make sure he was comfortable during his leave. Since his car was in the shop, the brunet had to call a driver to come and pick him up in the morning who in turn would drive him to the docks where he would board the boat carrying him to the airport. It was all somewhat of a hassle, but things were done and there wasn't any turning back now.

Sora had spent close to two hours talking with Roxas, telling him of all the little details that had happened since last they talked. There really wasn't anything new that Roxas didn't already know, although he was quite surprised when he found out that Sora's reason for going to Holly City was because of a boy. And even more so when he told him it was Riku, the son of the man his mother was currently seeing.

"_Are you kidding me? You're going out with his fucking son?"_

"_I'm…not sure…we've kind of…just started realizing how much we do like each other. I don't know what else to say except that I've fallen hard Roxas, very hard."_

"_I never thought I would see the day you would through all this trouble for a guy. But, where are you planning on staying while you're here? You know that you can stay with me."_

"_As much as I would love to Roxas, I can't let your mother know I'm in the city, you know she would go blabbering to my mom and then all hell would break loose."_

"_Point, if your mom or Riku's mom ever found out that the two of you were not only friends, but seeing one another, I can't imagine what would happen."_

"_You think it's hard imagining? Try being in my place."_

"_No, thanks, I'm plenty happy where I am right now."_

Sora took another look at the digital numbers, letting out a frustrated sigh. A ringing sound further irritated the brunet, the shrill sound of his cell. He grabbed the device and placed it to his ear, muttering a hello as he rubbed his eyes with a free hand.

"Hey Sora, hun, it's me."

"Oh, hey mom," Sora responded, "How was your flight? Is grandma okay?"

"Things went fine, I got into Holly City earlier this afternoon. Your grandma's doing okay, she's still under medical surveillance, but she's doing well. How about you, how did your finals go?"

Sora spent a few minutes talking with his mom, ending the conversation at one point when he heard the beeping of another call coming in. Beatrix wished him a good night and hung up, letting Sora take the other call.

"Hello?"

"Hey you."

Sora's spirits suddenly soared being able to hear Riku's voice. "Hey, what are you doing calling me? You should be halfway to Holly City by now."

There was a bit of static on the other side, making it somewhat hard for Sora to understand what Riku was trying to say.

"Our flight…got delayed. We've been…waiting for the last two hours. But the plane's here…we'll be leaving in ten minutes. Just wanted to…call you and hear your voice."

Sora couldn't help but smile, "You're such a sap Riku. But I'm glad you called, I was starting to get kind of bored around here. Everything's ready, I just need to get some sleep otherwise I'm going to wake up all bitchy."

There was even more static this time, "Don't…worry…we'll…see…each other tomorrow…night Sora."

"Good night," he replied, ending the conversation and setting his cell over by his pillow. He fell back against the mattress once again, feeling much happier being able to hear Riku for a minute or so. Sora threw the covers aside as he climbed underneath them, immediately curling the very front of the sheets under his feet. For as long as Sora could remember, if his feet were not covered he would have nightmares. He didn't know why, but he always made sure they were covered up before attempting to fall asleep. Sora hit the switch to his lamp and the room was cast in a comfortable darkness, with the stars and moon being the only light to peer through his window. Sora ran a hand underneath his pillow, letting the weight of his head rest against it. Sleep was slow to come that night, but after a while, slumber managed to take Sora. He had to be ready, for tomorrow he would be going back home, back to Holly City.

X

_"Attention passengers, we will be landing at Holly City Airport in 5 minutes, make sure to be buckled up as Captain Setzer makes a landing."_

Riku was not paying attention to the flight attendant over the intercom; he was much more occupied looking at all the lights and buildings making up the gigantic capital of Destiny Islands. The city was divided into 5 parts. The main island had four other bridges connecting them to smaller islands to the north, south, west, and east. At the moment Riku could only see the lights coming from the west and south island, seeing that they were traveling north to the capital. It was spectacular to say the least. Giant neon signs advertising the latest drink, latest fashions, latest pop stars covered the highest buildings, casting an intricate network of colors on the streets below. The plane began to shake slightly and Yunalesca turned to Riku, making him buckle up as they slowly descended. The ocean water was a mere darkness from so high up, but as they continued, Riku could make out the ripples and waves caressing its surface.

"We're finally hear Riku," Yunalesca chimed, followed by a long yawn. "We would've been here earlier if it weren't for the delay. But all that matters is that we made it. Isn't it just beautiful?"

"Yeah," he replied, placing a hand on the cool glass of the circular window, "It is beautiful."

The plane shook rather violently when it hit the landing strip, sending many vibrations up Riku's spine. Once the plan stopped completely the same voice came over the intercom.

_"Thanks you for riding Destati Airlines, please make sure you have your belongings as you leave the plane, thank you."_

Riku and Yunalesca grabbed their bags from the overhead compartments, making their way down the series of steps and into the massive airport building. Once inside they waited patiently for their luggage to taken from the plane while at the same time Yunalesca was scanning the area for something.

"Mom? What are you looking for?"

"Oh, well, Sephiroth said that he would have one of his personnel come and get us. That way we wouldn't have any trouble finding our way around the city."

Riku mimicked his mother's actions and took a look around, seeing hundreds of unfamiliar faces in the crowds.

"Did he say what he would look like?"

"Yes, he said he had long black hair, so he shouldn't be to hard to find."

Riku felt a tap on his back and immediately turned to meet face to face with a man with black hair, and blood red eyes. He was somewhat pale and dressed in an equally red business suit.

"My apologies for surprising you both, my name is Vincent Valentine and I will be escorting you to Mr. Sephiroth's condominium." He finished, bowing slightly and shaking Riku's hand when he presented it.

"Thank you sir," Yunalesca replied, bowing her head just slightly, "I apologize for the wait, our flight was delayed and we would've been here earlier. I hope we didn't make you wait."

Vincent shook his head, "Not at all, it's my pleasure. Please, your luggage has already been secure and both of you must be exhausted."

Riku felt slightly chilled at the sound of Vincent's voice, but he was very polite and kind. First impressions can be wrong. The dark haired man led them out of the airport, chatting lightly with Yunalesca as they walked. Riku was tired, but was excited at the same time knowing that he was in the capital. It had been years since he last came, and everything for some reason just looked bigger. It really should be the other way around, but Riku wasn't complaining. They were led out into the chilly city air, where hundreds if not thousands of lights were still brightly flashing away, despite it being so very early in the morning. They were met with a black Lincoln limousine and Riku immediately realized that this Sephiroth person must really have some money. Vincent held one of the doors open and motioned for them to enter. They both got into the limo and Vincent joined them, offering them a beverage as soon as the vehicle took off, melting into the highways.

"No thank you Mr. Valentine," Yunalesca replied, shaking her hand slightly.

"Please, madam, call me Vincent. While you are here in the city I am at your services. Mr. Sephiroth made it very clear that you are his welcomed guests despise his own absence."

"Thank you very much." Yunalesca and Riku replied, smiling at the dark haired man.

They drove for a good 20 minutes, admiring the lights, noticing an assortment of different people, and passing by some incredible buildings that seemed to pierce the clouds. Riku wanted nothing more than to call Sora right now and tell him what he was seeing, although the brunet probably had seen the exact same thing countless of times. Sora had asked for him to call the minute he arrived, but there was no way he could do that at the moment, plus, Sora would be sleeping right now and he didn't want to wake him. Riku fingered the phone in his pocket, mentally trying to reach Sora and let him know that he had arrived fine.

"We're here," Vincent stated, breaking Riku from his musings as he stared at the large building. It was night, so it looked just like every other structure in the city, but nevertheless, Riku was happy that they were there. His eyes were becoming harder and harder to keep open and sleeping sounded so perfect. A group of four maids walked from the glass doors of the building and lined up in front of the limo. Riku and Yunalesca got out, only to be greeted by the four women.

"Welcome to Holly City, we hope you enjoy your stay."

Vincent motioned towards the back and they silently walked, beginning the trek up the building with their luggage in hand.

"Oh, we can do that ourselves," Yunalesca argued, beginning to think that it was a bit much.

"Not at all, the only thing you and young Riku need to do is get some rest. It's been a long day for you both so I must insist."

Vincent led them into the building, noticing the cleanliness was superb. They journeyed upwards, reaching the very top of the building and were led to a spacious condo, one taking up the entire floor. Now, Riku and Yunalesca were wealthy on their own, but just looking around them was enough to leave them breathless. The walls were decorated with expensive pieces of artwork, the living room with leather couches and vases resting at every corner. There was a glossy wooden table resting in the dining room and the kitchen was just incredible. Riku wasn't sure what to say; suddenly sleeping wasn't on the top of his list.

"Now, Riku, your quarters are this way, one of the maids will guide you."

Riku turned to his mother and smiled, mentally thanking her for this opportunity. He was totally against it at first, but now, he couldn't have asked for anything better. Yunalesca kissed Riku goodnight as he was led down a series of hallways and into a spacious room with a bed at the very center. His luggage was already resting against his bed and the maid was kind enough to have pulled the sheets back for him, just tempting him to jump in.

"Is there anything I can get for you?" she asked, letting her hands rest against her apron.

"No, I'll be fine, thank you very much."

She curtsied and left the room, leaving Riku to soak in the new environment along with the view the giant windows had to offer. It was so beautiful, he couldn't find the words to express what he thought as he stared out into the city. Eventually, Riku found his way into bed and fell asleep, just waiting for the following morning when he would once again be with the one person that currently meant everything to him.

X

Sora had made it to the airport without to much trouble, although waking up that morning was difficult enough. He managed to get his things to the lobby and from there he let the driver take his things. Roxas was going to be picking him up at the airport in Holly City, although it took a bit of convincing on the blonde's part. Sora was somewhat hesitant, he didn't want anyone to know that he was going to be coming. But as he stood in the halls of the airport, he began relaxing and just letting go of his current worries. Luckily for him, he would be riding alone. The calls he placed the night before were to get one of his father's private planes to come and get him. Since he was still a minor, he would have needed his mother's permission, but Sora knew the pilot very well. He was a close friend of his father's and they had worked together while he was still alive. It had been several years since he last saw him, so he just hoped the pilot would still recognize him.

"Well goddamn, if it ain't little Sora"

The brunet turned around, his lips immediately curving into a smile at the sight of his father's best friend.

"Cid!" he replied, running up to the man who surprised him by embracing him in a tight, almost painful hug.

"You little brat, how the hell have you been?" he asked, his voice sounding gruff and his chin grazed with stubble. He looked just like he remembered, although there were a few more wrinkles in places he hadn't seen before.

"I'm fine Cid, just taking a trip up to the capital to see Roxas."

Cid gave him an odd look, scratching his blonde hair as he expressed his confusion. Sora sighed, there was just way to much he would have to explain. His mother never talked with Cid, she saw him as an uncivilized person and would never let Sora see him after his father's death. So, it was only natural for him not to know of anything that had happened over the years.

"I don't even know where to begin, there's so much shit that's happened it would blow your mind away."

"Try me, we've got time. The plane's bein' looked over and it'll be at least an hour before we can take off. You can tell me all about it over some coffee."

And so the brunet spent the next hour or so telling Cid about the nature of his move to the rural islands, why it happened, what his mother was doing, and the real reason as to why he was going to the capital. Cid had figured since Sora was much younger that he preferred boys, and he didn't give a rat's ass if he did. He gave the teen a rugged grin when he came to the part about Riku.

'Fuck, you've got a lot going on. First it's your mom and having an affair with some married guy, and now you're seeing the fucker's son? Man, Sora, you are way ahead of your years."

"You're telling me. I'm not happy with what she's doing, I never was. But I never would have expected for things to turn out how they are now. Imagine if mom ever found out."

Cid grit his teeth as he sucked in a breath of air. "Oh man, I can just see her blowing her lid. But if worse comes to worse buddy, you can always come back and live with me."

"Thanks Cid," Sora replied, smiling at the offer, "but hopefully that won't have to happen. I don't think you would be able to stand me after a while."

The blonde man scoffed, snorting at the same time, "Are you kidding me kid? Your father was the best man I've ever met. I can just see him sending the Faiths after me if I don't watch your ass."

Sora laughed, checking the time on his cell phone. "Hey, do you think the plane's ready?"

Cid grumbled and looked at the gold watch sitting comfortably around his wrist. "Yeah, s'bout time too. Alright son, let's head out."

Sora followed the tall man, letting his luggage roll behind him as they walked. They walked out onto a landing strip, where Sora marveled at the sleek design of the plane. He felt his eyes gloss over, realizing that the structure was similar to a design he had seen his father draw out years ago. Cid noticed his delay and smiled, walking over to the smaller teen and placing a strong muscled arm around him.

"Yep, that's her alright. Your father and I designed this beauty, called her Highwind. After your dad passed away, the blueprints sat in my office for ages. Then I thought, well damn, what's the point of having blueprints if we're not gonna build a fuckin' thing?"

Sora was in awe, it was like seeing his father in a completely different way. His dad was in there somewhere, half of him designed this plane and just looking at it was making Sora feel weak in the knees.

"Now, don't get all sentimental here, I'm not certified to give counseling."

Sora laughed, letting a single tear dribble down his face before wiping it away. A series of stairs fell from the plane, letting the brunet know it was time to board. Cid helped with the luggage, placing it where it needed to be as Sora made himself comfortable on one the reclining seats. Cid closed off the door, going into the main cabin where he would soon be taking the plane up.

"_Alright, buckle up you little brat, we're getting the hell out of here."_ Came Cid's voice from the intercom, making Sora shake his head as he smiled.

He looked out one of the windows, watching as the scenery began to move by slowly at first and then in a blur. The wheels left the strip, and soon they were in the air, flying away and into the golden hued morning skies.

X

Riku had a hard time trying to get away the following morning. Vincent insisted that he go with him since Yunalesca was going to be staying behind and relaxing for the day. The silver haired teen assured him that he would be fine, that he'd been to the city and knew his way around. Eventually Vincent gave up but gave Riku his cell number just in case something was to come up. The only thing Riku wanted to do was head back to the airport, knowing that Sora was most likely waiting for him.

The city looked somewhat different in the morning, the lights were gone, the neon signs no longer had the same effect. Riku was traveling by cab, the driver being a pretty woman by the name of Celes. He felt rather lucky that he managed to get the cab with a nice person instead of some old, fat guy muttering obscenities every so often.

"So, you visiting?" she asked, looking through the rearview window as she continued driving. "I know it's a really big city, but I can tell when someone is a tourist around these parts."

Riku smiled at the beautiful, long blonde haired woman. "Yeah, we just got in last night. Well, more like really early this morning since our flight got delayed."

She nodded, pulling a stand of blonde from her face. "But what about now? Why do you want to go back to the airport? Don't tell me you were so tired you forgot your luggage."

The teen shook his head, "No, it's not that. It's just…well, I want to see someone."

Celes grinned, "Oh, I see…a girlfriend?"

"Sort of. I'm not sure if that's what it is yet." He responded, looking out the window to catch a group of high school girls in a burgundy colored uniform. "I would have to sit you down for a couple hours to explain it all. It's so complicated it makes my head hurt sometimes."

"Oh, I'm sorry for prying. But this person of yours must be very lucky. You're a really handsome guy."

Riku blushed, fixing the hood to his black sweater reading "Gilgamesh" in maroon colored letters. "It's more the other way around, I feel I'm lucky that I have him."

Celes giggled, finally hearing the word revealing to her that this person of his was a boy. Soon they were back at the airport, watching as yet another plane took off and disappeared into the morning clouds. Riku handed Celes the money he owed her as he got out of the cab, only to be stopped when she put a hand on his shoulder.

"If you ever get lost around here, just call the number on the side of the cab and ask for me. I'll be more than happy to drive you around."

Riku smiled at her, "Thanks, it was nice meeting you." She waved as she drove off, leaving Riku to stand out in the chilly air. He walked into the building, noticing the bustling crowds of people wandering through the space. Since Sora was taking a private flight there wouldn't be a board stating when he would arrive so he opted to walk around, perhaps he was already there. Riku maneuvered around the travel bound people, his eyes roaming faces for that particular blue color he had grown so fond of. Then he heard the ringing of his cell phone and fished the device out of his pocket, placing it immediately to his ear.

"Hello?" he said through the chaotic atmosphere, cursing silently when some bulky man nudged him as he passed.

"Hey, it' me. I'm here. Where are you?"

Riku felt his heart leap at the sound of Sora's voice and looked around, trying to find something that would give him a clue as to where he was. "I'm standing over by Treno Airlines, there's this huge guy wearing a red shirt, I'm standing close by him."

Riku began to twirl around, only to have his eyes land on the familiar face of Sora, his phone being supported by his shoulder as he dragged his suitcases along. The silver haired teen sprinted towards him, only to embrace him as he let go of the suitcases' handles. It was seriously a couple hours they had been away, but it had felt like so much longer to the taller boy. Sora wrapped his arms around Riku , letting his head rest against his strong chiseled chest.

"Looks like they found each other," came a voice from behind the two. They turned to see Roxas standing with a much taller red haired man at his side. Sora felt his spirits soar, for he was finally back home, with Riku in his arms, and his best friend smiling warmly at back at him.

tbc

**A/N: Wow, at long last they're all in the capital. I'm really happy with this chapter, and I hope you guys are as well. Please r&r and let me know what you thought of this. Until next time!**


	9. Crimson

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the laptop I am writing from

**A/N: Wow, over a hundred reviews! You guys are superb! I dedicate this to all of you, thanks for your constant support. Things pick up, and have I got some interesting surprises. Enjoy!**

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 9**

**Crimson**

Riku was quick to figure out that Axel wasn't the best driver in the world. He felt his fingers tense up every time the redhead would pull into a different lane, just inches from the other cars and earning him several beeps in response. But the college student simply ignored them as he continued driving, making their way farther into the city. Riku and Sora were sitting in the back of the car, with the brunet talking rapidly with the blonde sitting in the passenger's seat. Riku had his arm around Sora the entire time and would hold onto him harder every time Axel made a turn.

"It seems like some things never change," the brunet expressed, making sure to direct it towards Axel who winked back and grinned.

"If any of you have a problem with my driving you're more than welcome to get out and walk."

"No, I'm just stating the obvious." Sora declared sitting back against the seat and pressing himself closer to Riku. He then followed by giving the taller teen a kiss, letting his tongue drag along his bottom lip before pulling it away. Riku shuddered when he pulled back, giving Sora a pout for being a complete tease. The brunet simply ran a finger along his jaw and gave him another peck on the cheek.

"If you guys end up doing anything back there, I swear I will kill you both." Axel hollered, taking a quick glance through the rearview mirror.

Sora shot a glare at him, "What? You feeling a little jealous that you never got this far with me?"

Everyone held their breath as they came to a sudden stop, the light blinking red ahead of them. Axel turned around and returned the glare, only to bust up laughing with Roxas smacking him in the back. Riku was somewhat shocked by what Sora had said, he never mentioned that they had gone out at any point. But he simply cocked a smile and shrugged.

"How can I be jealous when I have this gorgeous guy at my side?" he responded, reaching for Roxas and pressing his lips against his. There was another beep from behind the car and Axel broke apart, letting know whoever did that what he thought with a gesture made with his middle finger.

"You're forgiven Axel," Roxas said, placing a hand on his leg, "Now drive before anyone decides to get nasty."

And so they continued on, trying to find the hotel that Sora would be staying at while he was in the capital. With Roxas' mom being friends with Beatrix, it was a big distinct "NO" for him to stay at the blonde's place. Axel had offered his place, but by the look Riku was giving Axel, Sora had to refuse. It really didn't matter to Sora, just as long as he had a place over his head, then he didn't have a problem. Axel ended up pulling over to a large, marble stone building, the walls very glossy and shining with the sun's rays.

"Here we are, Lucca Suites. Now, please, exist via the doors and take your shit out of the back," the redhead sarcastically declared, earning him several more glares from the others.

Riku was more than happy to help with Sora's luggage and the brunet went ahead with it, letting him work his way up the steps and through the lobby doors. Roxas watched as they disappeared, letting Sora know that they were going to wait around for him before he went in. The blonde then turned to face Axel and gave him a very ominous look.

"What?" he said defensively.

"I know you've had a history with Sora, but don't shove it in front of him with Riku around. He doesn't know either of us and we're not giving him a good impression. I don't want Sora coming to me later and complaining that you were being a complete ass."

"Roxas, angel, I was just having a bit of fun, chill out."

The blonde, currently wearing a pair of blue jeans and a simple long sleeved white shirt cocked his head, his eyes simply staring at the older boy.

"I want Sora and Riku to have a good time. I don't want you making them feel uncomfortable. Both of them have been through a lot of crap and deserve to relax. So, you either calm down or you can stay behind when we go out tonight."

Axel rolled his eyes, "Fine, I'm sorry, I won't do it again. But I was serious by what I told Sora, I'm not in the least bit jealous because I have someone ten times better."

Roxas couldn't help but smile and smacked Axel on the arm lightly, earning him a grin. They waited for several minutes before Sora and Riku once again walked out the lobby doors.

"So, you guys need to be anywhere else? I kind of have some things I have to do back home."

Sora smiled, "You're supposed to be babysitting, aren't you?"

Roxas groaned, "Yeah, I'm supposed to be watching Denzel since my parents are out right now. I told him if he blabbed to them that I went out for a bit, that I would tell his little friend Marlene that he likes her. And it worked perfectly. But I still need to head back, I just wanted to make sure that you got here alright."

"Thanks Roxas, but you should get going. We should go out tonight though. I've missed club Hell Fire." He turned to Riku, "It would be a blast Riku. You haven't been to a club before have you?"

"No," Riku replied, "But I'd be more than happy to go. Although, I'm still not 18 so I don't know how I'll get in. And I don't have a fake I.D. like you guys."

Axel peered through the window, "You guys don't have to worry about that anymore, I've got some friends that work as bouncers, they won't mind letting all of us in. Just make sure to look good, that's their only requirement."

Sora beamed up at Riku who returned the smile. So the plans were set and Roxas got back into Axel's car, waving to the two as they sped off, nearly running into yet another car.

"Please tell me that we aren't going to Hell Fire in his car?" Riku asked, pulling Sora towards the building. "I don't think my nerves can take it."

"If you don't want to we don't have to, we can just take a cab, no big deal. So, want to help me unpack my stuff and then we can head out for some breakfas….lunch?" The brunet finished, realizing that it was closer to noon.

"Sure, you can show me the best places to eat around here. But I think we have to go shopping, I don't think I brought something fit for clubbing."

Sora had a devilish grin on his face, one that was making Riku feel slightly naughty. "That won't be a problem, we'll go check out the malls when we're done unpacking and eating. Come, on lets go."

X

Yunalesca was out on the balcony, wearing a soft lilac colored robe as she sipped away at a cup of coffee. It didn't matter where she was, a cup of coffee in the morning, well, anytime was necessary. She had woken up rather late, something that she hadn't done in such a long time. One of the maids was kind enough to bring in a robe for her to wear, having forgotten to bring one of her own. She then followed to go out on the balcony, wanting to see how the city looked in the daylight. It was still a gorgeous scene, but it didn't compare to the bright neon lights shining during the night.

"Will you be having lunch?" asked one the maids from the balcony windows, her head bowing slightly.

"Oh, why yes, thank you. I'll just be a few minutes."

The maid bowed and left, leaving Yunalesca alone once more to gaze at the scenery. She could see boats way off in the distance, birds of many kinds flying around the skyscrapers, along with the occasional plane undoubtedly making its way to or from the airport. She took in a deep breath before turning on her heel and walking back into the comfort of the condo. Yunalesca made her way around the halls, only to see Vincent already sitting at the dining room table. His blood red eyes landed on her figure and he immediately got up to his feet, bowing his head as she walked.

"No, no, please, you don't need to bow every time I come into a room," she declared, voicing this not only to Vincent, but also to several of the maids lingering around. "I appreciate everything you've done for us already, there's no need for such formalities."

Vincent moved over to a chair and pulled it out, motioning for Yunalesca to sit. She simply sighed as she made herself comfortable in the chair. It was obvious that she wasn't going to get through these people.

"How did you sleep?" he asked, sipping from a teacup. "You must be completely famished from yesterday. Why don't you go ahead and choose something from the menu."

"A menu?" she asked somewhat confused, but soon found herself being handed a crimson booklet. She peered inside and noticed a long list of different dishes. "Is there someone in the kitchen just waiting to cook something for me?"

Vincent nodded, "Why yes, we couldn't make just anything for our guests."

After a few seconds Yunalesca went with a simple Caesar salad, feeling somewhat constricted despite having so much freedom to do whatever it was she wanted. That's when she noticed that there was someone missing at the table.

"Vincent, is Riku awake?"

The dark haired man shook his head, "He actually stepped out a couple hours ago. I insisted on going with him but he made it very clear that wanted to go alone. But I gave him my personal number in case he needed anything. I hope you are not disappointed with my actions to let him do as he pleased."

The silver haired woman smiled warmly at him. "Not at all, thank you for looking after Riku. Although I wonder what he could be doing. He doesn't know anyone around these parts, maybe he decided to go shopping."

Minutes later there was a beautiful display of crisp greens and tender slices of grilled chicken sitting in front of her. She picked up her set of utensils and began to eat, letting the delicious flavors melt in her mouth.

"Will you be going out today?" Vincent asked after several bites, giving her some time to chew before answering.

"I'm not sure, I was thinking of maybe just sitting around for today. But in all honesty I don't really know, perhaps a bit later. But, would you be kind enough to answer a question for me."

The raven-haired man nodded, "Yes, of course, go ahead."

"How did you come to meet Sephiroth? From the little I've talked with him he never mentioned having such a wonderful assistant as you. I'm surprised he never did."

Vincent managed a small smile, his hands playing with the handle to his teacup. "Well, you see, I was the one that introduced Sephiroth to his late wife Aerith. She was a close friend of mine for years, having gone to the same college and all. I began working alongside Sephiroth and eventually, I thought of introducing Aerith to him. And, well, they ended up falling in love and marrying."

Yunalesca placed her utensils on her empty plate and wiping her hands with one of the cream colored napkins sitting in front of her. "So it was love at first sight?"

He chuckled slightly, "Well, yes, I believe that's the correct saying for it. Aerith was a wonderful horticulturist; she spent much of her time tending to a large nursery on the island north of here. Children would often come visit and help her with planting new flowers or trees. Unfortunately she was unable to have any children of her own, so being able to have so many little ones come to her nursery made up for the part a child of her own wouldn't be able to fill."

Yunalesca felt her eyes become somewhat glossy, "That's wonderful. To think that such a wonderful woman like her passed away."

Vincent clutched his teacup firmly, "Yes, it was very unfortunate. It not only affected Sephiroth, but his entire staff. Everyone loved Aerith, and when they found out of her passing, there was quite a bit of mourning. He ended up going into a horrible depression where he stopped working altogether. But after a while, I sat him down and clearly told him that Aerith would not want to see him in such a state. I knew her very well, and she wouldn't want anyone mourning her death and being kept back from continuing on with their lives. So, he left, and he's been traveling ever since. I haven't seen him in over 6 months now, but he still calls every so often to check in on how things are going."

Yunalesca pulled the robe closer to her body, "Was the last time he called regarding our visit?"

He nodded, "Yes, he informed us that a pair of important guests would be coming to the capital and were in need of a place to stay. We were all delighted to hear from him so we made sure that our guests' stay would be pleasant."

The silver haired woman gave him a smile and turned to several of the maids standing at the corner of the dining room. "Thank you all very much, all of you have been so kind. I can't express my gratitude."

They all returned the gesture, the room suddenly filled with a wave of positive energy.

X

Sora and Riku were just walking out of a store, with no bags sitting in their hands just yet. They had gone to several places, but none of them seemed to have anything that appealed to either two. It was early afternoon now, and the day was slowly growing warmer. Riku shed his black Gilgamesh sweater ages ago and had it tossed over his shoulder, the weight only making him feel even hotter. But despite the growing heat, they trekked through the streets, popping into every shop that appeared interesting.

Eventually, the two found themselves in a quaint store known as "Al Bhed" and seemed to be having much better luck there than in any other place. The clothes were spectacular, the use of so many different colors in one outfit without it being tacky had Riku and Sora feeling all excited. The brunet had passed this place before but never bothered to step in, and now, he regretted doing so.

"Hey, can I help the two of you with something?" came the voice of a blonde girl with her hair in dozens of braids all hanging from a bigger portion of hair set atop her head with a blue band supporting the structure.

"Umm, well, we're just looking. We're trying to find something to wear out clubbing tonight." Sora said, fingering the fabric to a black and green shirt.

"Well you guys are in the right place. Our store is very popular among ravers these days. If you need any help with anything, just let me know."

Riku turned to her and peered at the nametag positioned on her yellow halter top.

"Rikku?" he uttered, confused to see his own name but with an extra "k". "Is it pronounced just like Riku?"

The blonde nodded, "Yep, why do you ask?"

The silver haired teen laughed, "Cause my name is Riku. I've never met anyone with a name so similar to mine."

Rikku began laughing, "Oh wow, that's a first for me too. Well, nice to meet you Ri-ku."

The taller teen shook her hand, "Likewise, this is Sora, we're visiting the capital and decided to go out tonight. Since I wasn't prepared to go clubbing, I didn't think of bringing the appropriate clothes with me. You think you can help us out of this dilemma?"

Rikku set a finger under her chin, eyeing the two boys as they stood there. "Hmm, I think I have just the thing that would go perfect with each of you. Hold on a sec, it's one of a kind, so we have it in the back. The girl disappeared, leaving the two curious as to what she could be bringing out. She came back a minute or so later with several pieces of clothing hanging on wooden hangers.

"Okay, Riku, I can tell that you have some great abs under that shirt, so here's a little something that will show of that great body of yours," she giggled, handing the taller teen a hanger. "And you Sora, I love your eyes, so what better way than to accentuate your eyes than by wearing blue? So, here's a little number for you to try on."

Rikku motioned them in the direction of the dressing rooms, following them after and standing right outside their doors. They fumbled with their clothes, unhinged a strap here, buttoned a button there and soon, they walked out and their eyes went wide once they had the chance to look at one another. Riku was wearing a tight long sleeve black shirt ending right below his chest, exposing his chiseled abs. Along with that was a pair of black pinstriped pants, with an insane amount of white belt straps hanging all across the front and back. He did a little spin, getting adjusted to the new clothes and providing a show for the others. Now, Sora on the other hand was wearing a sleeveless dark blue shirt sticking comfortably against his skin with an intricate pattern of diagonal white shapes decorating the back. And to finish the outfit off, he was wearing a very light blue shade pair of jeans with rips and tears adorning each inch. Black and white paint splatters gave it a finishing touch across the back pockets.

"Oh, you guys look so cute!" Riku exclaimed, clapping her hands rapidly as she admired her latest work. "The two of you are so frickin' hot it's not funny. I can just see everyone glaring jealous daggers at you guys."

They went over to a set of full-length mirrors as they looked at themselves, liking the outfits Rikku had thrown together for them. The silver haired teen turned his attention to Sora. "So, you think these are good enough?"

The brunet playfully hit his shoulder, "More than enough, we are going to look great. I can't wait for Roxas to see us."

The two quickly changed out of their new clothes and had Rikku ring them up.

"Thank you guys for coming to Al Bhed, make sure to come back and tell your friends. Knock 'em dead tonight, k?"

Sora and Riku took a hold of their bags and waved to Rikku as they walked out the door, once again suffering under the scorching sun. They decided to stop by a little café, the thought of a cold beverage sounding very good to them. Sora found them a table and watched their things as Riku went up to buy them some drinks. His eyes lingered out the window, watching as cars drove by, people passed, and the occasional plane flying with some advertisement tailing behind it.

"Here, I thought you might like peach," the silver haired boy said handing Sora a cold glass. He took a sip and savored the taste before swallowing, letting the cool refreshing feeling soothe his parched throat.

"It gets pretty hot around here in the summer," Sora said placing his drink on the table, "but this is ridiculously warm."

"But the nights are pretty cold, so we won't have to worry," Riku confirmed, taking a sip of his own drink. "Although I should head back to the condo and check how mom is doing. I don't want her to think that I abandoned her. Would you mind if I headed back and came to pick you up for when we go out?"

The brunet shook his head, "Not at all, I was thinking of heading back and taking a nap. You have to realize I've been up since really early this morning and I haven't had a single second to rest."

"Yeah," Riku said, "we should get some rest if we're going to be out at night. I haven't seen you dance before, but I'm dying of curiosity."

Sora bit his lip, narrowing his eyes at Riku just slightly. "You'll come to find out that I am the best. Everyone will have their eyes on us."

"Wow, someone's a little full of himself," Riku dragged out, nudging Sora's leg with his foot underneath the table. "I'm wondering if you ever went out like this with Axel."

Sora coughed as he sat there drinking his iced tea, he was apparently not expecting that statement. Riku grinned devilishly at him, nudging him once again. "It's not like I care, although I can see why he was interested in you to begin with."

"That was over a year ago Riku," Sora pointed out, "We didn't have any chemistry between us so we broke up, and Roxas was just better suited for his attitude. I'm glad they're together though, since they do compliment each other quite perfectly."

"But was it just me, or was Axel not very happy to see me?" Riku expressed, knowing very well the negative vibes that the redhead was sending him despite it coming off as sarcasm earlier that day. "Like, I'm not sure how to explain it, but he just didn't seem to care that I was there."

Sora sighed, "He's like that Riku. I don't know, but think of it this way. It's always been Roxas, Axel, and I. Well, before I moved out the rural islands. So, I come back and bring along a gorgeous guy, of course he's going to feel threatened. I mean, how would you feel if Kairi decided to introduce us to a new handsome friend of hers? Wouldn't you feel slightly uncomfortable knowing that he could be checking me out? I know I'd feel a bit uncomfortable if he was looking at you."

Riku cocked a smile, "Oh really? Well, that's never going to happen. I'm not some jealous asshole like that freak Tidus. That is pushing it. But enough about that, let's get going."

They finished downing their drinks and headed off again, walking down the busy streets. Riku then fished out his cell phone, glancing over at a taxicab for a few seconds before dialing.

"What are you doing?" Sora asked, adjusting the straps to his bags.

"Getting us a cab, I met this cool driver this morning and she told me to ask for her and she'd drive us around."

A few minutes later, Celes pulled up along the street, allowing Riku and Sora to get in before speeding off and merging back into the main traffic.

"Well Riku, it's nice to see you again today. I can see you found whoever it was that you were looking for at the airport." She said, winking at Sora and making him blush. "Hi there, I'm Celes."

"Nice to meet you," he replied, nodding his head at the same time. "Has he said anything about me?"

She giggled, "Well…he has, but I've been sworn to secrecy and can't say a word. It's the taxicab driver's code of honor. You wouldn't believe half the stuff I've been told over the years. But, I can tell you that he said nothing but good things."

Sora nudged Riku, making the taller boy drop his arm around the brunet's shoulder. "That's good. He'd better have said good things since it was his idea that I come here."

But Riku quickly shut him up with a kiss, making him forget what he was going to say completely as he pressed his weight against the taller frame. Celes' eyes were dashing from the road to the rearview mirror and a large smile caressed her lips.

"I see, so there's much more to the story. Is this some tragic Romeo and Juliet story? No way, it couldn't be that simple."

The two in the back broke apart, watching one another grin.

"_That's pretty damn close." _They thought.

X

A maid opened the door to the condo, allowing Riku to enter as he looked around for the distinct figure of his mother.

"Could I take your things for you?" she asked, extending her hand towards the bags in his hands. "I will take these to your quarters."

He let her do so, watching as she disappeared down the series of halls. Riku ventured through, running a hand through his long silver hair as the air conditioner pelted him with cool air.

"Mom, mom, you here?" he voiced, letting his question echo.

"Ms. Yunalesca is out young Riku."

He turned to meet with the same maid that had taken his things to his room. She asked him to follow her into the kitchen, where she followed by grabbing a pitcher of water from the refrigerator.

"I bet you must be thirsty, it is quite hot around here," she said pouring Riku a glass of water. He thanked her and he sipped away, letting out a sigh once he was satisfied.

"Where did she go?"

"Ms. Yunalesca wanted to go to Ms. Aerith's former nursery so Vincent went along to accompany her. It's located on the northern island, so they will be gone for quite some time. Would you like us to prepare some dinner for you?"

Riku shook his head, "No, I ate while I was out, but thank you." He smiled as he left the kitchen, wanting nothing more than to rest against the comfortable bed in his room. Riku faced the large windows once he passed through his room door, marveling yet again at the scenery.

"I could get used to seeing this," he said aloud, his eyes noticing that his outfit was already taken from its bag and sitting neatly on top of his bed. Riku picked the outfit into his hands, letting the black fabric of his shirt touch his skin. For a split second he wished that Kairi was around so she could ramble and tell him what she thought of his clothes. But it was for a split second, and a split second only that he had that idea go through his mind. He could only stand so much of her at any time. Kairi was probably taking her father's yacht out at this very moment, and more than likely dragging Seifer along for the ride. Riku laid the clothes back down as he jumped into bed, letting his feet dangle off the side as he looked up at the high ceiling and concentrating on the glass chandelier hanging there.

_"I'm glad things worked out, I don't know what I would have done if he wasn't here with me. I want all of us to have a good time tonight. What better way to celebrate the beginning of summer vacation than by going to a club?"_

X

It was night, and the city was once again a beacon of light in an endless ocean. The neon signs were busily buzzing with the gases passing through their cylindrical tubes, the streets were littered with multitudes of people making their way into the night life. It was a completely different atmosphere at night, and Riku was beginning to like it just a bit too much.

The silver haired teen spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping, not bothering with dinner once his mom and Vincent had returned. They brought along with them an array of colorful flowers she thought would liven up the place and even the staff found it warming to once again see the plants Aerith had spent years cultivating. He had showered and was already dressed in his new outfit, although all the white belt straps were beginning to wear him down with all their weight. But he looked good, and even Yunalesca was clear to point out that he was looking rather "hot." Riku made sure to let her know that she was never to speak of such words to him again, for it brought oh so many disturbing thoughts into his head. Vincent had a dull grin on his face the entire time, finding it somewhat amusing. His excuse this time was that he had met up with some new friends and they had invited him to go out. Yunalesca was happy to hear that he had made acquaintances already, but she was slightly uneasy about him being out this late at night.

"Riku, are you sure you'll be okay on your own at this hour? The city may be beautiful, but it can be a little unsafe at night."

"_I'll be fine mom, I've got Vincent's number with me in case anything happens, so don't worry. I promise I won't be out to long, okay?"_

Riku was standing outside, having gotten a call from Sora letting him know that Roxas and Axel had already picked him up and were on their way to get him. He rolled his eyes, wondering what ever happened to the whole "we'll meet you guys at the club" story. But he didn't care, yet prepared himself if Axel decided to become a smart ass. Sora was somewhat right about the whole jealousy thing, but he wasn't about to admit it. As he continued standing there a group of teenage boys and girls walked by, each one letting their eyes drag across Riku. This used to be what he craved, the looks and stares of utter awe people got when they saw him. But at the moment, he could care less about what they were doing and thought only about all the dancing he would be doing with a fellow brunet. He watched as a car in the traffic pulled over on the sidewalk, the figure of Axel's black Lincoln Zephyr coming into full view. Roxas was in the front seat, waving at Riku as he got into the cool interior of the car. The taller teen was momentarily breathless at the sight of Sora in his new outfit, the way the blue in his eyes matched perfectly with the blue of his shirt.

"You can stare all you want later, Riku," Roxas announced, "We've gotta get going otherwise it'll be full by the time we get there."

And so they were off, driving into the center of the city. Riku was quick to pull himself closer to the brunet and give him a quick kiss, this time letting his tongue linger just slightly on his bottom lip as he pulled away. Axel was looking through the rearview mirror, his lips smiling bashfully.

"You look awesome," Roxas commented, pointing at his pants in particularly, "Where did you get those? I've been to clubs all the time but I've never seen anything like what you guys are wearing."

Sora pushed Riku away just slightly, letting his fingers intertwine with his. "We found this cute shop called Al Bhed and Roxas, you would have pissed yourself if you were there."

"I probably would, you guys just look great."

"Well, the two of you look pretty damn good yourselves," Sora replied.

Roxas was wearing a sleeveless white hooded shirt with a large graffiti design sprawled across the fabric. His left wrist, as always, was adorned with a checkered bracelet Sora had given him way back in middle school. It never left his wrist, and Sora was glad to know that he wore it every day. Axel on the other hand, was wearing a blood red collared shirt but instead of buttons it had a long thread of black ribbon going through the holes. A matching pair of black pants with red paint splattered across the front of the legs finished the outfit. Well, the two eyeliner teardrops hanging below his eyes finished it up.

"Hey, Sora, this is your first time going to Hell Fire since you left, but it's still the best as always. And don't think for a second that I forgot about my red sweater you "borrowed". I'm expecting it or something better in return."

Sora waved it off, "Yeah, yeah, whatever, I'll get you a new one so quit your whining."

Riku didn't really say much as they drove on, although he did mutter several obscenities every time Axel did a sharp turn or braked to suddenly. Sora held his hand the entire way, giving it comforting squeezes and easing Riku up. Soon, they were outside driving past a huge line of people desperately trying to get into a black and red building with the words "Hell Fire" in neon red lights sitting comfortably against the entrance. They managed to find a parking spot not far from the club and walked the small distance away. Axel was in front, with an arm secured around Roxas' smaller frame. Riku noticed this and he too mimicked his actions, letting his arm come around Sora's waist as he forced him closer to his own body. The brunet didn't argue against it and left Riku's arm where it was.

"You sure we're gonna be able to get in?" Riku asked, making Axel turn his head.

"Hey, you're with me, you've got nothing to worry about kiddies."

Axel walked past the line, each person glaring daggers at him and the three others following behind him. They stopped at the entrance, where two men were dressed in black suits and one wearing a black tie. One was shorter than the other and had bright red hair, just like Axel's and a red mark on each side of his face. The other was bald and was wearing a pair of sunglasses, which made absolutely no sense since it WAS night. Several earrings adorned his ears, with several in his left cartilage.

"Axel, baby, what's going on?" the other redhead spoke out, surprising Riku somewhat.

"S'up?" the taller man replied, his face remaining as serious as ever.

"Hey Reno, Rude, what's happenin'? We were just in the neighborhood and decided to go do a little dancing. You guys know my man Roxas, and these are some close friends of his." He said oh so casually pointing at Riku and Sora.

"I've been put in charge of showing these boys a good time, so come on, cut them some slack." He finished, winking at Reno.

"Hmmm, what do you think Rude, think we can let these guys go by?"

Rude didn't speak, but instead sighed.

"Right on, that's what I was thinking. Alright, Axel, get your ass in there and show these friends of yours a good time."

Reno pulled the velvet robe and let them through, while they managed to catch some of the things people were yelling at them as they passed. Reno simply glared at them, quieting them without having to say a single word.

Inside, Riku was in awe, he didn't know where to turn first. There were two floors, both bustling with a large crowd of people dancing away to the fast paced music. It wouldn't be called club Hell Fire if things weren't red, so the lights were currently illuminating everything crimson. Axel was already pulling Roxas towards him, leaving Sora and Riku to wander as they headed off to the dance floor. Riku took a look around, noticing that there was a full bar on the opposite side of the entrance.

"It's just like I remembered it," Sora chimed in, his cerulean eyes sparkling with delight as the bass pounded in his ears. "Come one, let's do some dancing!"

He grabbed Riku by the hand and dragged him into the frenzy, the atmosphere feeling hot against his skin. Sora began to move his hips around, with his hands moving in synch with the rhythm. Riku was slow at first, managing to move his legs around but as the music continued, he began to loosen up and before he knew it, he had both arms flailing around, exposing his chiseled torso for everyone to see. There was silver strands flying all across his vision, but he still managed to see Sora through it. He brought himself closer to the brunet, pressing his hips against his as the song changed, creating somewhat of a dramatic moment. Sora was bending back slightly from Riku's waist, his eyes looking into aqua as the tempo picked up, sending the crowds into a rejuvenated frenzy.

"You're an awesome dancer!" Riku tried to shout through the music, only to be met with a series of "whats?" from the brunet. "You're an awesome dancer!" he yelled once more, this time pressing his lips to his ear.

"You are too!" Sora replied, feeling the heat against his ear. "Want to get something to drink?"

Sora led the taller boy along, making their way to the bar. The brunet immediately high five-ed the bartender, a handsome man with an eye patch covering one eye. He had golden yellow blonde hair sticking straight up, not exactly in spikes, but just sticking up naturally.

"Sora! Where the hell have you been?" he managed to get out through the pulsating music. "It's been way to long, tell me all the details."

"It's good to see you to Gippal, but I can't go into the details right now, it would take AGES, but I'd like you to meet someone." He said, pulling Riku closer to him and wrapping an arm around him. "This is Riku, Riku, this is Gippal."

The two nodded at the other, Gippal being the first out of the two to speak. "So, you guys together now? I can see why you went after this one Sora, he's fucking cute."

Riku tossed his hair, not meaning for it to make him look conceited. "Yeah, he's got some good taste." Sora rewarded his statement with a kiss, letting their lips mingle for a few seconds.

"Okay, boys, enough of that, you're making this old man jealous. So, what can I get you? In the mood for something strong?"

Riku bit his bottom lip, the same one Sora had dragged his tongue along only seconds ago. He had plenty of alcohol before; he was in high school student after all. But he wasn't sure if he should be, considering that he would be going back to the condo sometime that night and didn't want his mother to know that he had been drinking. But he figured that if he wasn't going to have a good time, then what was the point of coming in the first place. Gippal handed them both a martini glass, the liquid contents appearing pink.

"Cosmos, enjoy boys."

Sora took both glasses in his hands, giving one to Riku and letting them clink together before they took a sip. The mixture of the raspberry vodka and the peach juice was heavenly in Riku's mouth.

"You seriously did this all the time?" Riku asked, letting his hips press against Sora. "I still can't imagine you doing all this, but here I am, watching us do it together."

"Just cause I'm a good natured boy doesn't mean I can't have fun," was his reply, downing the remainder of his Cosmo and setting the empty glass back on the bar. "But come on, let's go back out there. Oh, I love this song!"

Once again the brunet pulled Riku along, giving him just enough time to finish his drink. The silver haired teen was feeling slightly uneasy with the way Sora was acting, as if he was slowly becoming someone he didn't know. He was left wondering if this was just perhaps the alcohol slowly coursing through his system, or simply the change in atmosphere. But he shrugged the feeling off, he wasn't about to let that stop him from having a good time. They managed to find Roxas and Axel among the crowd, their lips locked into a passionate kiss where Roxas was letting his hands roam all through his hair. Riku licked his dry lips, letting the music carry them onwards into the night.

X

Sora didn't know what time it was when he was dragging his ass out of the club, but everything around him seemed like it was going in slow motion. Perhaps it would've been a good idea to stop after his fifth Cosmo, but oh no, he knew he could handle much more alcohol. Riku was somewhere in the same neighborhood, although he wasn't as happy and giddy as the brunet was. Roxas had very little to drink so he seemed fine, and Axel, since he was the driver, had none whatsoever. Reno waved at the group as they slowly stumbled their way down the street, with Axel in the back giving the two bouncers a wink.

"Riku, I hope…you had a good time," Sora mumbled all giggly, letting his arm rest against the taller boy's shoulder. Riku didn't know if he was going to be able to hold Sora up, but he tried to clear his head as much as possible as he walked along, his eyes trying to find the black Zephyr.

"Crap, mom's going to kill me when I get back," Riku muttered, clasping a hand to his forehead. "She is going to be pissed."

"Don't worry, I'll take all the blame," Sora said, letting out a sudden cough. "If she gets angry with you, I'll talk with her and make her understand."

Riku laughed, "Don't you remember, we can't let her know we're seeing each other."

"But it's so stupid!" Sora bellowed out, "Why do we have to hide the fact that we like each other?"

"Sora," Riku whispered, "you know our situation. If they were to find out I don't know what they would do. Your mom especially, I don't want you to get hurt."

The brunet ran a hand up Riku's neck, letting it rest there as he gained his composure. "I wouldn't be hurt Riku, I've endured worse pain. Just…don't worry about it."

Sora freed himself from his grasp, his eyes finding Axel's car across the street. He never saw it coming and Riku watched in horror as it came. Riku lunged towards the brunet, but the car beat him, smashing into Sora and sending him flying over the top. Roxas and Axel's eyes went wide, the blonde cupping both hands to his mouth as he watched Sora's body tumble across the asphalt.

"NOOOOO!"

Riku's senses suddenly became clear as he rushed to Sora's side, placing a hand underneath his jaw while his eyes lay closed. There was blood oozing from his head, slowly making its way down his face and staining his skin. Riku was breathing heavily at this point, his breaths coming out in shuddering, painful gasps. Tears were forming at the corners of his eyes; there was nothing there to hold him back as they began to flow. He held onto Sora's limp body, thanking the Faiths that could feel him still breathing. Through his blurred vision he turned to see the car that had hit him and a figure slowly walking away from it. Riku felt his own blood freeze as his aqua colored eyes fell on the figure, the distinct figure of a woman with shoulder length brown hair. The sounds of sirens filled the air, but Riku could only hear the beating of his own heart. There was no way around it, he was staring at the last person he was expecting to see.

"Beatrix…"

tbc

**A/N: (cries) That was incredibly hard for me to write, I had tears forming in my own eyes. I am such a terrible person, but would you guys really have thought of them "running" into each other this way ( excuse the pun ). Please r&r, and I am prepared for the worst. (holds shield against self)**


	10. Blank Canvass

Disclaimer: I own my laptop, the plot, and that's about it. Everything else belongs to the horrible, but wonderful moguls known as Disney and Square-Enix.

**A/N: Thank you everyone, I know it was a horrible cliffhanger, but it was necessary overall. I want to dedicate this chapter to the wonderful Lunar Blaise for drawing a wonderful piece of art based on my fic. Check it out sometime, the link is in my author's profile. Hope you like this chapter as well, thank you!**

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 10**

**Blank Canvass**

Riku could not remember the last time he had been in a hospital and he soon realized why it was he avoided them at all costs; he didn't like them in the very least. The silver haired teen stuck out like a sore thumb among the white of the hospital walls, with several others sitting around the waiting room or the passing nurse here and there. His fingers would not stop shaking and were still tinted with Sora's blood. It was all one big blur, seeing the lights of the car, the brunet's body flying through the air, it was just one big image he wished would go away. But his wishes were never meant to be granted as he stood against the bare wall, not caring that his bare skin was pressing against the cold material. Riku's hair was currently cascading down his chest, hiding his face from the rest of the crowd. Roxas and Axel were sitting together, with the redhead cradling the blonde's hands. He was still in shock, then again, who wouldn't be? But there was one person he couldn't begin to understand what it was she could be going through, and honestly, he didn't care to know.

Beatrix was currently being questioned by the authorities and having difficulty trying to give them coherent answers. She was fidgeting with her blouse, her fingers poking at the buttons securing the fabric to her skin. The ambulance had arrived not long after, being alerted by Reno having seen the entire accident take place. They arrived quickly and despite struggling with Riku for possession of Sora, managed to get him onto a stretcher and into the ambulance. Beatrix was petrified, her eyes shaking from side to side from the shock. But she regained her composure and followed after, the emergency technicians allowing her to ride with him. Riku was not about to be left behind and tried to squeeze into the back, only to be forced out by one of the technicians. He grit his teeth as more salty tears burned down his face, as if the alcohol he consumed was forcing its way out. But he turned on his heel and ran towards Axel, grabbing him by the shirt collar and pulling him in the direction of his car. They managed to pull Roxas after them, scurrying into the car as they followed behind the blaring ambulance vehicle. Inside, Beatrix was being asked a multitude of questions by the technicians and through a bit of difficulty managed to tell them that she was his mother. She was completely perplexed. Beatrix didn't know what she was more shocked about, the fact that she had nearly killed her only son, or the fact that he was even in the city. It was all too much for her and the tears began to flow.

Once inside, the authorities were alerted and they had no choice but to question Beatrix. That's where they currently found themselves, all desperately waiting for answers regarding Sora's state. It was nearly 3 in the morning and Riku realized that his own mother was probably wondering where the hell he was. He prayed for his cell to remain silent, to refrain its shrill ringing from ever happening. Riku didn't want to involve her in any of this; she didn't deserve to worry when all she wanted was a relaxing vacation. But the cell did ring, and Riku felt the obligation to take the call, a frown caressing his face as he did.

"Hello?" he answered, his voice sounding somewhat raspy.

"Riku? Honey, where are you? Are you okay, it's almost 3, what happened?"

It was like a rusty knife was plunged into his heart at the sound of her voice and he balled his free hand into a tight fist. "I'm okay mom…I'm fine. It's…just…"

"Did something happen with one of your new friends? Riku, please, tell me what happened."

Once again tears filled his eyes as he felt the words tumble out of his mouth. "Mom, please don't be angry with me, I don't think I can stand that right now. I'll tell you all the details later, but mom, Sora's been hit by a car, we're at the hospital right now."

"Sora?" was the first thing to leak out on the other side. "You don't mean…"

"Mom please, I'll explain later, please…"

"I'll be right over honey, don't worry, I'll be right there."

The line went dead, leaving him with the dull, vapid tone beeping from his open cell. He brought his eyes up to the figure of Beatrix, the authorities bowing their heads slightly as they turned around and walked down the hall. She had a hand pressed against her forehead, one tainted with the same crimson color adorning Riku's hands.

_"It was an accident…she didn't mean to hit him…a mother would never do that on purpose…then why do I feel such hatred towards her right now?"_

Riku found his feet moving, surprising him as they carried his body towards the woman off in the distance. He closed the gap, letting his eyes stare at Beatrix. This was the first time he was looking at her directly in the face, having only seen her once two months before in the dreaded office at city hall. Riku never wanted to see her again, but at the moment, he felt it was only right for him to be standing where he was, glaring at her with poisonous intentions. She looked past the hand against her head and narrowed her own vision, seeing the fury behind the aqua.

"Leave me alone, I don't need you to make this matter any worse," she muttered, turning her head.

Something inside Riku's head snapped and everything he had been holding for the longest of times began to pour out, each word soaked in pure anger.

"Worse? Worse! Before I make this any worse! Look here you bitch! You have no idea the pain you have caused my family, I have had to see my mother cry night after night because you had to mess things up with my father! Can you even imagine what you had to put Sora through? You moved him out of his home, took him away from his friends, put him into a position where he could do nothing. And then I had to meet him and we became friends; that's when I found out how alone he was, how much you being away had affected him. But could you think for one second about anyone other than yourself, NO! If anything, I have been there to make him feel BETTER. Don't you fucking dare tell me I could make things worse because I'm not the one that FUCKING HIT HIM WITH A CAR!"

Everyone was looking at him, all with eyes wide as dinner plates. Axel was still holding onto Roxas' hands, squeezing them gingerly as the blonde began to relax. There were quiet mutters among the waiting room, but Riku didn't care what they could be saying about him. He was breathing hard, letting his eyes glare even more venomously at Beatrix who currently held a horrified expression on her face. At that moment a doctor dressed in white walked through a set of double doors, her hair currently held up in a bun. Everyone held their breath as she walked up to Beatrix, giving Riku a small smile once she noticed his presence.

"Mr. Beatrix?" she directed at the brown haired woman, immediately shaking her head as she turned.

"Yes? How is he? Is Sora alright?"

Dr. Kadowaki smiled at her, "Yes, Sora is out of any danger. He suffered a rather heavy blow to the head when he hit the ground, but despite that there weren't any broken bones or ruptures of any kind. We ran a couple scans and he appears fine, I'm glad to let you know that he will make a full recovery within a couple days. But he must stay here, just in case anything were to occur."

A collected sigh among the group was released, with Roxas embracing Axel and pulling him as close to his own body as possible. Riku bent forward, letting his hands grip his knees as a thankful smile caressed his lips.

"Doctor, can I see him?" Riku asked, pulling himself back up.

She shook her head, "I'm sorry, for the moment I can't allow any visitors. He needs to rest and should wake up later today. Be at ease, he'll be fine, so you are more than welcome to return home and rest."

Dr. Kadowaki smiled at them, turning around and leaving through the set of double doors. Beatrix held a hand against her chest, letting her hair fall into her face as she pressed her back to the wall. Riku took one final look at her before retreating to Axel and Roxas' side, bringing a comforting arm around the blonde. If this were done under any other circumstance, Axel would have been more than happy to beat the living daylights out of Riku for touching his boyfriend. But, lucky for the silver haired teen, such an act wasn't going to happen.

"He's fine Roxas, he'll be fine, don't worry," Riku reassured, pressing his forehead against his shoulder. "We can see him later today when he's awake. Right now I think it would be a good idea to head home and get some rest. I know I'm going to regret drinking all those Cosmos later."

Roxas nodded as he pulled himself up from the seat, letting Axel hold him as they began to walk down the hall. "You want us to give you a ride?"

The aqua-eyed teen shook his head, "No, I've got my ride coming. Don't worry about me."

They nodded at the teen before disappearing down the hall, with Axel resting an arm on Roxas' shoulder the entire time. Riku then turned his attention back to the set of doors, just tempting him to walk behind them. He wanted to see Sora, see him sleeping with his own eyes. But he knew quite well that he wouldn't have that opportunity, not now. He glanced at the clock overlooking the waiting room, noticing it was now after 3 a.m. Riku knew Yunalesca would be there soon, and he tried to come up with some explanation in his mind. But nothing seemed to be working out like he wanted. Then again, he was also drunk so thinking was only making things worse. He noticed Beatrix grab a passing nurse and mumbling something in secretive silence. The pretty woman nodded and headed off, Beatrix doing the same but not before making something perfectly clear to Riku.

"If I ever catch you near my son, I swear I will make your life miserable."

Riku grit his teeth, her fluttering hair the last thing he saw as she turned and walked away, her heels clinking horribly against the glossy white floor.

_"Make my life miserable? Like you haven't already done that? You've got to be kidding me."_

Riku scoffed, feeling the beginnings of a headache at the center of his forehead.

_"Why couldn't I have stopped drinking? I just had to keep up with Sora didn't I?"_

X

Vincent pulled up into the hospital parking lot with Yunalesca getting out as soon as she heard the engine die down. She told Vincent that he didn't need to come along, but he wouldn't have it any other way. The silver haired woman eyed the early morning sky, still dark and overcast with artificial light blocking out the stars. She hurried along, pulling the collar to her coat closer to her skin. The hospital was huge to say the least, but finding the entrance didn't take much effort. Vincent was right behind her, his black hair wafting in the air. The two walked past the electronic doors and down a series of halls, each one busily buzzing with people. Yunalesca realized that she had no idea where Riku was at that point, not having the chance to ask before she got off the phone just minutes before.

"Vincent would you mind asking one…"

But her sentence fell short at the sight of someone she was never expecting to see. Beatrix came walking along, her outfit stained with the unmistakable sight of blood. Her heartbeat suddenly quickened, feeling as if someone had just injected her with a dose of pure caffeine.

"You…" the silver haired woman expressed, narrowing her eyes dangerously. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Beatrix stopped her stride, returning the look if not more gravely. "Well, well, this is an interesting turn of events. And here I was, thinking my night couldn't get any worse."

Yunalesca felt her hands curl up. "What happened? Did something happen to Riku?"

"Riku?" she spat out, "That stupid boy is at fault for what happened. If he wasn't dragging my son along, he would never have gotten hurt."

Yunalesca's eyes went wide, a mixture of surprise and anger coursing through her system. "Don't you dare talk about my son that way. I am not aware of all the details, but by the sound of Riku's voice he sounded horribly worried. If anything, I would feel that he's more affected by what happened than you are."

Beatrix tossed her hair, "What happened was an accident, that's all. I am very uneasy right now so I am not in the mood to argue. If you would be so kind as to move, then I will be on my way."

She walked by, not saying another word as she passed. Her eyes met with Vincent's for a brief second before she disappeared, leaving him with a confused expression on his face. Yunalesca let out a deep breath, feeling overwhelmed and suddenly exhausted. But she didn't let that stop her as she ventured on, eventually reaching the emergency section where her eyes fell on the sitting form of Riku.

"Riku!"

He lifted his head, his eyes looking very tired. "Mom."

She ran over to him, wrapping both arms securely around his cold frame. "Riku, are you okay? Are you hurt at all?"

He let his head rest against her shoulder, smiling at the comforting, warm feeling exuding off her skin. "I'm fine mom, everything's okay with me. I'm…just happy that Sora's fine."

Yunalesca removed herself from her son's side, letting her eyes examine his face before asking any questions. "Riku, I know you're feeling tired, but I need you to tell me everything that's happened."

Riku turned his face away, "I wish none of this ever happened."

"Not just what happened tonight honey, I need you to tell me what's been going on for the past couple months. I feel like there's a lot you've been keeping from me."

There was a part of Riku that knew this day would come, the day that he would have to tell his mother regarding his friendship with Sora. But he cursed at the fact that he couldn't have done it at a more appropriate time.

"I know mom, there's a lot I have to tell you. But…can we go back to the condo? I don't feel like talking about this here."

Yunalesca didn't have to argue in the slightest as she held her hand to Riku, helping him up and embracing him once he was standing.

"Alright Riku, let's get going."

X

_Everything was so black and cold, not a single thread of light seemed to be able to break through the veil of darkness. He could feel wind caressing every inch of his body, he felt naked against its invisible touch. Sora opened his eyes, only to be met by the darkness._

_"Where am I? Why can't I see anything?"_

_The brunet suddenly felt a horrible pain against his forehead, as if someone had struck him with a heavy object. He felt himself ball up in a fetal position, his hands clutching his head furiously. Sora pulled a hand away and felt his lungs constrict at the sight of blood, the crimson liquid sticking disgustingly against his skin._

_"What…happened?"_

_There was a pinprick of light in the darkness and soon it grew and engulfed every inch of black. Sora threw both hands against his eyes, squinting through the cracks in his fingers. Suddenly everything was white, a vast white hall full of nothing but blank portraits hanging on the walls. He scanned the rectangular frames, peering into them hoping to find something secretly waiting within them. But he failed in seeing whatever could be hiding and continued down the endless white hall._

_"Sora?"_

_He turned, hearing the voice ring throughout the air._

_"Who's there?"_

_"Sora?"_

_"Who is it?"_

_"Sora?"_

Once again he felt the pain searing through his head as everything went dark. When he reopened his eyes all he could see was a dark ceiling. There was an annoying beeping coming from his side and wanted nothing more than to silence the infernal noise.

"Sora? Can you hear me?"

The brunet slowly moved his gaze away from the ceiling and towards the voice. His cerulean eyes fell on the blurry figure of a middle age woman dressed in white. He felt a sudden panic go through him for nothing looked familiar.

"Hello Sora, I'm glad to see that you're awake. My name is Dr. Kadowaki and I have been watching over you for the past couple hours. Are you feeling okay?"

He wasn't quick to answer as he took a look at his surroundings, noticing that he was lying on a bed with a cream colored set of sheets nestled on top of him. Sora's eyes then followed over to a mechanism, which he assumed was creating the awful noise.

"What…what happened?" the brunet managed to say through a slightly raspy voice.

"You're in St. Alexander Hospital Sora, you had a bit of an accident and are currently recovering from it."

"Accident?"

"You suffered a heavy blow to head, but luckily it wasn't serious. I would tell you the details, but I feel right now the best thing for you to do is rest. I will contact your mother and let her know that you are doing well."

Sora felt the familiar pain rush through him once more and subsiding within a couple seconds. He raised an eyebrow at her, doing so only making the pain somewhat worse. Dr. Kadowaki placed a finger against her lips.

"I see…"

X

"…And that's when I gave you the call mom."

Riku was sitting in the living room of the condo, dressed in a pair of pajama bottoms and a plain white shirt. He had a blanket around him, keeping him warm as he finished telling his mother everything he could dare to say. Vincent had left the living room once they returned, feeling that his presence would only make Riku feel uncomfortable as he and Yunalesca had a talk. He was looking through the windows, trying to find something to concentrate his vision as he let his mom take in everything he had told her. She was rather silent, with her hands resting comfortably in her lap. Two steaming cups of tea were sitting in front of them, with Riku's still untouched. He wasn't thirsty, or hungry, all he wanted was to sleep. Yunalesca let out a sigh, the pieces of silver hair dangling above her head appearing lower than usual.

"You know Riku…I don't want you to feel like you did anything wrong." She finally said, breaking the lingering silence. "If anything…I kind of knew something was going on."

The silver haired teen immediately ripped his gaze from the window and settled it on his mom, giving her a questionable look.

"Riku, I am your mother, it's not like I'm blind to the things you do. I'd have to not care about you if I couldn't see these things. I've always known you had a preference for boys, that's something I'm not surprised about."

He bit his bottom lip, "Then why didn't you ever say anything to me? If you knew what was going on, then why didn't you say something?"

She narrowed her eyes, "It's not that I didn't want to Riku, it's that I felt it wasn't in my place to ask. You're still underage, but that doesn't mean I don't respect your privacy as well as your personal life. I know you're a good boy Riku, that's something I've never had to question."

"I never meant for anything like this to happen mom, I wish I could have told you before you had to get involved like this."

"You went with what you felt was right Riku. I don't blame you for anything that's happened. If anything…I'm rather glad you became friends with that boy."

His head shot up, "You are?"

She nodded, "I knew it the minute I first saw him Riku. I could see the loneliness and confusion in his eyes. I thought to myself, "how could a mother make her own child suffer like that?" But I was never expecting for you to become friends with him. If anything, I would have thought that you would be angry."

Riku wrapped the blanket even tighter against himself. "I felt like that for a while, but eventually I realized that I wasn't giving him a fair chance. He wasn't at fault for anything, and I was quick to blame him." Riku felt a smile tug at his lips. "Then Kairi and her stupidity brought the two of us together where I was forced to deal with the situation head on. I acted like such a little kid, trying desperately to get away and not realizing that what I was saying was causing him pain."

Yunalesca grabbed her teacup, taking a sip and setting it back on the table. "It was perfectly natural for you to have such a reaction. But I'm glad that because of that little incident, you managed to get past your confused anger and reach to him."

Riku let his head fall back against the leathery cushion of the couch, feeling that same dull pain in the middle of his forehead. "So, I have to ask you this mom. Are you mad at me for going this far? For bringing him along?"

Yunalesca pursed her lips, "I don't think I could be. You must like him a lot to have gone through all this trouble. And he must feel the same way about you."

Riku left the couch, throwing the blanket aside and letting it fall against the floor. He wrapped both arms around her neck, pressing the side of his face against hers. "I love you mom. I'm so sorry I never told you sooner. I was just…so afraid of what you would think. I don't know what I would have done if you reacted differently."

She smiled, "You're all I have left now Riku. I'm not about to lose you over something like this." She broke the embrace, letting a hand caress Riku's cheek. "Now, I think you should take a long hot shower and get some sleep. And you'd better drink that tea if you don't want to feel sick from all that alcohol."

The teen felt a grin tug at his lips, grateful to the Faiths for giving him such an understanding and caring mother. He planted a kiss on her cheek as he made his way down the hall, disappearing into the depths of the bathroom. She raised a finger to the spot, letting it rest there for a second.

"I swear you and Aerith could be sisters."

She gasped slightly, turning around to find Vincent resting against the entrance to the dining room. "Vincent! How long have you been standing there?"

He raised a hand, "Do not worry, I would never eavesdrop on your personal conversations. But I did manage to see you embrace your son. I feel such a warm aura from you, it feels so similar to Aerith's that I find myself thinking she's still here."

Yunalesca tugged a silver strand, "I'm flattered to hear that you think of such a thing. I just hope she feels the same way."

"She would, I am positive." He finished, offering Yunalesca a smile.

X

Beatrix had just walked out of the shower when she heard the phone ring, giving a sigh as she walked through the hall towards the infernal ringing. She was dressed in a violet robe, her hair still wet and dripping on the wooden floor. Beatrix grabbed the phone, placing it to her ear and addressing whoever was calling.

"Ms. Beatrix? Hello, this is Dr. Kadowaki from St. Alexander Hospital. I'm calling to give you some good news."

Beatrix held her breath for a moment, "How is he? Has he woken up yet?"

"Yes, he woke up about half an hour ago for a few minutes but he's sleeping again. I just wanted to call and let you know that he's doing well."

Beatrix sighed, "Thank you doctor, I appreciate your call."

"Ms. Beatrix, there's also something else I would like to discuss, but I would feel more comfortable speaking to you directly. Would you be able to drop by later today?"

"Yes of course, I was planning on doing so anyway. I'll be there, don't worry."

"Thank you, I'll see you then ma'am."

Beatrix placed the receiver back in its slot, letting her fingers rest against it for a few seconds.

_"This is all a nightmare…how could any of this have happened? There's no excuse, I am to blame for all of this."_

Beatrix placed a hand on her belly, rubbing a series of circles through the violet fabric.

_"What am I going to do?"_

X

Baralai didn't know what had possessed him to drive back to the house, perhaps he wanted to find Riku lounging around and be able to talk to him. He had not seen him in two months, not since the day at city hall. Baralai knew things wouldn't be easy, but he wasn't going to give up now, he had to figure out some way to get through to Riku. He pulled up to the house, noticing that the cars were not sitting in the driveway. Baralai arched an eyebrow, a bit confused as to why the vehicles were nowhere in sight. He figured they could be out, or perhaps they had the cars inside the garage. But he knew if they were in the garage then that could only mean one thing. They had been gone for a while. He parked along the sidewalk, getting out of his BMW and closing the door softly after. The silver haired man walked through the yard and up to the front door, praying that someone would be home. The doorbell chimed, ringing through the house for a couple seconds before everything went silent. He tried again, the sounds dying out just like before. Baralai let out a sigh, perhaps he wasn't going to have any luck today. He walked back out to his car, only to stop when he noticed a brown haired girl standing on the sidewalk on the other side of the street.

"Good afternoon Selphie, how are you doing?" he asked, knowing that the girl was a friend of Riku's and figured she would know something about their whereabouts.

"Hello Mr. Baralai, I'm doing good. Are you…here to see Riku?" she replied, surprised to see the man standing there. He walked over to her side, giving her a warm smile as she looked up at his tall figure.

"Yes, have you seen him around? I've been meaning to have a talk with him for some time now."

Selphie tinkered with the bracelet around her wrist, a little memento her boyfriend Irvine had given to her before he left for the SEED Corps. She was debating whether to answer the man's question, knowing that it really wasn't in her place to reveal that bit of information.

"Umm, they've been gone for a few days now. I'm not sure where they went, sorry."

She turned her back, only to be stopped when he placed a soft hand on her shoulder. Selphie faced him once more, this time feeling rather uneasy.

"Sir, I already told you that I don't know where they went. I don't know what else to tell you."

"Look," he said calmly, taking a breath, "Selphie, this is important, I must know where Riku is. I've been away from him for a long time now and I want to be able to talk to him. If you know where he is, please tell me, I would greatly appreciate it."

"I would remove that hand if I were you."

Baralai faced the voice, his eyes falling on Selphie's mother Ellone. He immediately took his hand from Selphie's shoulder, letting it rest comfortably at his side. "I apologize, I meant nothing by it."

"Please leave Mr. Baralai, you have no business around here," Ellone declared firmly, watching as Selphie walked towards her.

The silver haired man ran his tongue along the inside of his mouth, letting it hit the sides of his cheeks. "I am not looking for any trouble Mrs. Tilmitt, I was just wondering where my family has gone."

"Family? I'm surprised you still call them that."

He folded his arms against his chest, cocking his slightly to the side. "Excuse me? What gives you the right to say that to me?"

Ellone whispered something to Selphie and she scurried on back inside the house, leaving the door cracked just slightly in order to peer through.

"I have as much right to express my opinion. After all, Yunalesca spent quite some time with me telling me all about the little things you did. I must stay it's quite heartbreaking to see such a strong woman like her cry over the likes of man such as yourself."

Baralai couldn't believe his ears; he couldn't believe he was being talked to in such a rude manner. "Whatever happened between her and I is no business of yours. I would greatly appreciate it if you refrain from speaking of such things."

Ellone sighed, "As you please sir, now if you don't mind, I've got a busy store to attend to."

"Store? Since when did she get into business?"

"What store do you speak of? For the many years I have known you, I have never heard of you running any kind of store."

Ellone's eyes sparkled, "I'm just watching a friend's place while she is away on vacation. She was invited to the capital by a lovely gentleman and should be having a lovely time around this time. Now, I must get going." Ellone walked over to her Lexus and got in, letting the engine roar into life as she drove out. Baralai was left with his breath stuck in his throat, a horrified expression lingering on his face.

_"Yunalesca and Riku…in the capital? No, this can't be. If they were to run into…"_

Baralai ran off to his car, speeding off the moment his car was turned on. He never would have thought that whatever was going through his head had already occurred.

X

Beatrix was watching Sora sleep, his chest rising up and down with every breath he took. She was standing at the edge of his bed, with Dr. Kadowaki at her side. The plump woman had a series of papers on her clipboard, flipping through them and scribbling random little notes as the silence carried on.

"Ms. Beatrix," she spoke, facing the other woman, "Like I mentioned before, Sora was lucky he didn't suffer any major injuries. But he did suffer a blow to the head and I'm afraid that it has brought with it some complications."

Beatrix remained silent, her harms against her chest as she watched her slumbering son. He had a series of bandages around his head, with some random minor red scratches dotting his face. She let out a sigh, the act letting Dr. Kadowaki know she could continue.

"The blow he suffered has affected his memory, he can't seem to remember anything. He even had trouble recognizing his own name. Sora appeared quite confused when I was first addressing him so I went ahead and asked him a series of questions."

The brown haired woman turned her head, her eyes large and her mouth slightly agape. "Are you telling me my son has…"

"Amnesia, yes. It's not uncommon for victims of head trauma to suffer memory loss. But I can't be sure how long he could be in this state. Memory loss can last anywhere from a couple minutes, to even years, it all really depends."

Beatrix blinked a couple times, letting the information sink in. "So…you're positive that he doesn't remember anything that has happened?"

Dr. Kadowaki nodded, "I'm afraid not. But not to worry, there are certain things you could do to help in regaining of his memories. Simple things, just by talking about who he is, his friends, his likes, dislikes, things about his life. It's unfortunate that this happened, but in all honesty, he incredibly lucky he suffered nothing worse."

Beatrix felt her hands shaking against her chest. "Thank you doctor, I appreciate all your work and concern. Would it be okay if I sat here with him and talked to him? I know he can't hear me, but it would make me feel better."

"Be my guest, take as much time as you need." Dr. Kadowaki bowed and left the room, closing the door softly as she left. Beatrix grabbed a nearby seat and positioned it next to his bed, letting her hand run across his cheek as she sat down.

"Hey honey, it's mommy, I hope you can hear my voice. I just want to let you know that I love you, and that you're going to be perfectly fine again."

Beatrix took a look at her stomach, only to glance elsewhere. "Sora, you're going to be a big brother. Didn't I tell you? Your father and I found out just the other day. Aren't you happy Sora? We're going to be having an addition to our family!"

She knew it was a horrible thing to say, but she wasn't about to let this opportunity go to waste. Beatrix knew she had sunk to a low level, but there was nothing else she could think of doing. She placed a hang on his chest, feeling the rhythmic rising of his chest.

"I'm sorry honey, but I need you to never remember anything that's happened." She whispered as tears formed in her eyes. "I'm sorry."

X

It was late in the afternoon by the time Riku arrived at the hospital, wanting nothing more than to see Sora and make sure he was okay. Vincent asked the teen if he wanted him to come along, but he politely refused and the raven haired man nodded in response. Riku walked through the parking lot, his eyes scanning the area for the sight of Beatrix. After what happened earlier that morning, he knew running into her would only make things more complicated than they already were. But he wasn't about to let her stop him from seeing the person he cared about the most. Riku made it into the building, immediately feeling sick at the unmistakable hospital smell. He shook his head and carried on, letting his shoes squeak along the surface of the floor. The teen took several turns here and there, having no clue if he was even going in the right direction. At some point he simply stopped a wandering nurse and asked for help.

"Are you a relative?" the nurse asked, giving him a quizzical look.

"Yes," he responded, "He's my cousin and had an accident early this morning. I really want to see him and make sure he's doing okay."

She looked him up and down before motioning for him to follow her. He went along, scanning the area for the brown haired woman just in case. They walked for several minutes before she stopped at a counter where two other nurses were chatting loudly about something Riku could care less about. She mumbled something to them and nodded a silent thank you, giving Riku a smile as she directed him down yet another hall.

"Now, he might still be asleep, so I must ask you to not wake him. If he is awake make sure to keep your visit brief."

She led him to a room with a closed door and opened it slightly. She peered in and then turned her attention back to Riku. "Go on in, he's awake."

Riku thanked the nurse as she walked back down the hall, leaving him standing at the entrance to the room. He walked in quietly, his lungs constricting momentarily at the sight of a bandaged up Sora. Riku fidgeted with his fingers, suddenly feeling a bit out of place. The brunet didn't notice the presence for he had his head turned, facing the bleak boring wall.

"Sora?"

He turned his head, those cerulean eyes falling on Riku's figure and narrowing. Sora remained silent, observing the newcomer curiously. Riku smiled at him, waving slightly as he approached the bed. He could see his I.V. leading to a pouch of clear liquid, the contents slowly dripping into another small cylindrical tube. Still the brunet remained silent, but still not something Riku was bothered by.

"How are you doing? Are you feeling better? Does your head hurt?" The questions just started tumbling out, each one slipping by faster as Riku anxiously waited for a response, anything that would calm his growing nerves. His sea-foam green eyes danced around, searching Sora's face for a sign that he had heard his words.

"I'm…okay." He managed to say, giving the silver haired teen a smile. "I guess I'm pretty popular today. I had this woman sitting by my side for like, an hour holding my hand."

Riku arched his eyebrow, finding his words confusing. "You mean Beatrix? Your mother? Why do you sound unsure?"

Sora returned the confused expression. "My mother? That woman was my mother?"

Riku walked up to him and placed a hand near his arm, letting it sit there as he took a good look at the brunet. "Yes…her name is Beatrix and she's your mother. Sora…are you sure you're okay?"

Sora reached for Riku's hand, running a finger over his hand. "You…you seem familiar."

"Sora, what are you talking about, it's me, Riku."

The brunet looked into his aqua colored eyes. "Riku? It's such a pretty name. But…how do I know you?"

Riku felt everything around him darken, as if someone managed to block out the sun. "Sora…it's me, Riku. Don't you remember me?"

The brunet continued staring into his eyes, his lips slowly turning into a frown. "I'm sorry…I don't know who you are."

It suddenly felt like the sun really didn't exist.

tbc

**A/N: And so the drama continues, why I do this to myself? I hope you enjoyed, please r&r and let me know what you thought. I hope you guys don't totally hate me for what happened last chapter. Just another little note, Dr. Kadowaki is a minor character from FF8, so kudos if you guys caught it. Thanks again!**


	11. Surfacing Secrets

Disclaimer: I don't own a thing, well, the plot I own, but nothing else.

**A/N: First, I apologize for the wait and the way I ended the last chapter. Second, I apologize for how short this chapter is, but I have been having a bit of trouble with it. That asides, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as much as my others. **

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 11**

**Surfacing Secrets**

Riku took a step back, his fingers leaving the soft fabric of Sora's bed sheets. He still had his eyes latched onto Sora's, currently blurry with tears he was desperately trying to hold back. The brunet didn't understand what was happening, all he could do was stare ahead. Riku muttered something under his breath, something Sora was unable to hear. The taller boy took several more steps towards the door, his back soon touching the door leading into the hallway of the hospital wing.

"Umm," Riku managed, "I'm really glad you're not hurt. I don't know what I would have done if you were in a worse condition."

Sora blinked a couple times, "Really? Would you really feel bad if I was hurt worse?"

The question sounded incredibly ridiculous to Riku, making him chuckle slightly. "Of course…you have no idea." Riku felt his eyes sting once more and felt for the doorknob just inches away from his hand. He grabbed the inanimate object and gripped it tight, letting its cool material press against his skin.

"I'd better leave, you should get as much rest as you can. The sooner you get out of here, the sooner you'll remember everything. Don't worry, you'll be fine."

With that said, Riku opened the door and left, leaving Sora feeling more confused than ever. He stared at the slightly open door, shocked to see his hand reaching outwards. Sora didn't remember moving his arm, then why was his hand stretching in front of him? It didn't make any sense to him, and it was simply exhausting thinking about it.

_"Am I always going to be feeling this tired…is it always going to hurt? Do I even want to remember? Do I want to remember even if it hurts?"_

He slammed the hand against the sheets, the fabric cradling it comfortably.

_"Was…that boy crying? Why was he crying?"_

The pain surfaced, a dull annoying pain against the sides of his head. He pressed his other hand against the bandages, feeling the material and not liking its texture. Sora looked to his side, eyeing the beeping mechanism and glaring at it maliciously.

_"I don't understand…"_

X

Vincent watched as Riku entered the car, his hair hiding the features of his face. The man wanted to ask if things were all right, but by the way Riku was currently sitting in the leather seat it was clear to the older man that things were far from okay.

"You ready to go?" He asked, knowing the answer already. "Or do you want me to drive you somewhere else?"

Riku threw his head against the headrest, rubbing his eyes with both hands as he mumbled his response. "Yeah, let's go."

Vincent didn't need to be told twice as he turned on the car and backed out of the parking space. He drove onto the main street, joining the multitude of cars zooming by at a variety of speeds. Riku's head eventually found its way against the glass window, his cheek pressing lightly against the surface. He stared into his own reflection, noticing the slight redness in his eyes. Riku was strong, cocky at times, even arrogant, but at the moment he wanted nothing more than to scream and cry. He was a dam just waiting to break, releasing with it not only tears but also all the emotions he was trying desperately to cling onto. But he thought back to Sora's current state and imagined his bedridden self in that unnerving recovery room. He knew he needed to be strong, become stronger and handle the situation like a mature adult. Crying would only show his weakness, and he was not about to break down. Especially with Vincent sitting not even three feet away. But it wasn't easy to deal with all the images currently swimming through his head. He bit his bottom lip at the image of Sora hitting the ground after the car impacted with him, something the silver haired teen just couldn't get over. For a split second the thought that Sora could have died flashed through his head, causing him to shake his head furiously.

"Riku? Are you sure you're okay?" Vincent asked, turning his attention to the teen. "I know I haven't known you very long, but believe me when I say that you can trust me with anything."

The silver haired teen shook his head again, this time a little more subtly. "Thanks Vincent…but I don't think I should weigh you down with any of this crap. It's just…something I was not expecting to happen."

Vincent pulled over on the street and put the car into park. "Keeping things bottled up isn't the best way to work towards a solution. From what I know…everything that happened was just a coincidence. There's nobody at fault here."

"I know it's not my fault, but I can't help but feel that I AM somewhat responsible!" Riku suddenly bellowed out. "None of this would have happened if I wasn't so fucking selfish and simply left Sora behind. But no, I just had to ask him to come along, to satisfy my need for him to be here."

Riku pulled his hands into fists as he let his head droop forward, his nails pressing uncomfortably against his skin. Vincent remained silent for a few minutes; simply watching Riku and trying to formulate some kind of response that would help him feel better. But even he was having trouble, for there were certain worries and suspicions regarding the circumstances. He went back to earlier that day, when he and Yunalesca made their way through the hospital, trying to find Riku. The raven-haired man watched the small confrontation between Yunalesca and the woman known as Beatrix, his eyes studying her features carefully. Then she walked off, but not before his eyes met with hers for a brief second. That's when Vincent realized that she was in fact, someone he knew.

"I'm sorry Vincent, I didn't mean to lash out at you. I'm just tired and upset right now." Riku apologized, turning his head and offering him a small smile. The older man simply shook his head, letting him know that it was quite alright and that apologies weren't needed.

"I understand Riku, this is all a shock at the moment, but it will get better. I mean…we all had to deal with Aerith's passing and eventually we got over it. But you're lucky, Sora is still alive and that's all that matters. Now…should I get us home?"

Riku nodded in agreement, allowing Vincent to get back into the traffic as he drove back to the condo. The skies were becoming more golden at this point and showering all the buildings and skyscrapers in its light. Riku watched as the neon lights slowly became more alive as night made its way. Vincent watched him out of the corner of his eye every so often, his mind elsewhere trying to comprehend a matter that sparked into life from his encounter early that morning.

X

She knew she wasn't supposed to be drinking, but Beatrix really couldn't help herself as she poured a good helping of brandy into a glass. The brown haired woman raised it to her lips and took a sip of the liquid, letting the burning sensation attack her throat as it went down. Beatrix let out a sigh as she placed the glass on the kitchen counter of her high story condo. She took a look out the giant windows, her eyes meeting the night and all that it offered at this point in the day. The neon signs were alive as always, cascading the streets in a multitude of colors. Beatrix fingered the phone only a few inches from her hand, having just finished a conversation with a very worried Baralai.

_"Beatrix, I found out that Yunalesca and Riku are in Holly City and I've been trying to reach you all day, where the hell have you been?"_

_"Baralai, save it, it's to late."_

_"What do you mean it's to late? Don't tell me you already ran into them. Oh god, tell me nothing happened."_

Beatrix walked into the living room, taking her glass of brandy with her as she made herself comfortable on the leather couch.

_"It's a long story Baralai, but yes, I did run into Yunalesca. But there's nothing for you to worry about, I've got everything under control. I'll explain all the details later, but for right now I need some time alone."_

_"What do you mean you've got things under control? If you ran into Yunalesca something must have happened, I want you to tell me everything."_

_"I don't need to tell you a damn thing Baralai. We're not married so you have no right to ask me anything."_

Beatrix raised the glass to her lips once more.

_"Beatrix, please understand that I'm trying to get on good terms with Riku. If you said or did anything to him it's only going to be more difficult for me to get through to him. I want to know if anything happened so I can prepare myself."_

_"And I want you to understand that I want to be left alone right now. I'm not trying to keep anything from you Baralai, but if it was something I thought you should know then I wouldn't hesitate in telling you. I'll tell you eventually, but just give me time right now."_

_"Fine, but don't think I'll forget this, I'm holding you to your word."_

Beatrix looked over several forms that Dr. Kadowaki had given her that day, one letting her know that Sora would be able to come home from the hospital the following day. Along were several pamphlets and papers advising her in how she could help with patients with amnesia. But the last thing she wanted for Sora to do was remember anything, so the pamphlets were useless to her. The brown haired woman continued watching the night sky, the glass of brandy becoming ever emptier and tempting her for more.

X

Riku and Yunalesca were already situated in their rooms for the night, leaving Vincent to mind the remaining servants as he walked the area of the dining room. He nodded in acknowledgement when the last few maids waved to him, letting him know that they were turning in for the night. The raven-haired man had a steaming cup of black coffee sitting on the table, the vapor rising in a wavy column towards the ceiling. His blazer was disposed of at the moment, along with the tie that usually adorned his neck. Vincent was one of the most calm and collected men anyone had ever met, but the look on his face was telling otherwise. There was something there, something one could tell was bothering him and causing him some kind of worry. He picked the steaming cup into his hand and took a sip of the bitter liquid, wincing slightly when it managed to burn the roof of his mouth.

_"It's…been a while since I've last seen her,"_ He thought, resting his hands on the back of one of the table chairs. _"It's been a bit over a year…yeah, it was around the time that Aerith began getting worse…"_

Vincent's train of thought was broken when he noticed Riku at the archway leading into the dining room, his upper half devoid of a shirt and showing off his well toned muscles. The older man found himself staring and quickly moved his crimson colored eyes away, finding the blank wall a much more appropriate place to look at. Riku didn't really pay it any attention as he walked through the dining room, his feet carrying him swiftly into the kitchen. Vincent followed after, making sure to keep some distance between him and the silver haired teen.

"Couldn't get to sleep?" the man asked, folding his arms against his chest and crossing a leg over the other as he stood against the kitchen door.

Riku nodded, opening the refrigerator and taking out a bottle of water. He quickly uncapped it and took a swig, allowing his dry mouth to savor the refreshing taste. The teen was wearing his usual emerald green pajama pants, appearing black at the moment due to him standing in the dark kitchen.

"I'm not surprised," the teen responded, taking the bottle with him as he walked back out the door with Vincent on his tail. "I mean, after all of this, I doubt I'll be able to sleep well again. I'm even more surprised I managed to sleep earlier today."

"It's understandable, would you like me to get you some kind of sleep aid?" Vincent asked, already moving past Riku.

"No, no, it's okay, I'll be fine. Umm…I was kind of wondering if I could ask you something."

The raven-haired man found the request amusing and nodded for Riku to continue.

"I had a talk with mom during dinner and asked her when we're going to be leaving. I mean, we were only going to be staying here a couple of days, but with Sora's situation…I thought maybe things would change. I know she wants to travel elsewhere, but I don't think I could handle being away right now. So…I was wondering…if I could possibly stay here on my own."

Vincent didn't find it surprising and was silent for a few seconds before answering. "If your mother says it's okay, then I don't see a problem with it. But are you sure you wouldn't feel bad if you missed out on the other portion of your trip?"

Riku faced the floor a couple feet away, letting his eyes dwindle. "I don't care…nothing is more important than making sure Sora is okay and that he gets his memory back. I know mom will be a bit disappointed, but I'm sure she'll understand."

"Well, it seems you have your mind made up. I don't think I could have the heart to deny your stay here. I'll have to contact Sephiroth about this though, just to let him know that you'll be staying here an extended amount of time." Vincent took another sip of his coffee, this time not scalding hot as last time.

"Thank you Vincent, be sure to thank Mr. Sephiroth for me when you talk to him. If you don't mind I'm gonna try and get some sleep, I want to head back to the hospital tomorrow and see how he's doing." With that said, Riku wished Vincent a goodnight and headed off down the dark hallways. Vincent took in a deep breath, taking the chance to run a pale hand through his long onyx hair. He eyed his watch, noticing it was close to midnight and figured he should head off to bed himself. Vincent had his own place located in the city, but Sephiroth made sure that he had his own quarters in the condo if he ever wanted to stay. Taking his cup of coffee with him, Vincent headed down an opposite hallway and into his room. The walls were red, much like his eyes, with the occasional piece of artwork hanging in black frames. One of those frames held a picture of him and Aerith many years before, with another black haired woman and a rather burly black man. Vincent offered the camera a small smile while the two women grinned from ear to ear. The other man simply had his arms crossed, giving whoever was taking the picture a dirty look.

"Those were the days," he trailed off, sitting on the bed. "I don't think there was ever a time that Barret smiled." For a quick second Vincent lost himself in his memories, wandering back to his college days. But he shook his head, letting out a sigh as he fell against the mattress, the things he was thinking about earlier rushing back into his head.

_"Beatrix…why am I getting such a bad feeling from her? Could…I have been right all this time?"_

X

Sora felt quite odd being moved around in a wheelchair, then again, he couldn't seem to remember ever seeing one before the nurse brought it in to his room. Dr. Kadowaki informed the brunet that he was being released and that his mother would soon be there to pick him up and take him home. Sora didn't really speak, but nodded at whatever it was the doctor was telling him. The bandages around his head were changed one last time before he was wheeled out of his room by a pretty blonde nurse named Scarlet. Her lips were smothered in a thick red lipstick and her hair was set back in a bun with the ends jutting outwards just slightly. They were currently going down one of the many halls of the hospital, with a variety of people walking to and from different parts of the building. There were other chatting nurses off in the distance, some giving the brunet a quick wink as he passed.

"You're going home today Sora, aren't you just so happy? I know your mother was very worried and she'll be so glad to have you back home safe and sound."

Sora wasn't sure how to respond to the question, not being able to remember what home was like made it impossible for him to come up with an answer. He simply nodded, only to grunt uncomfortably when he felt the bandages around his head constrict just slightly.

"Oh, did I wrap them to tight? Here, let me fix them for you."

"No, they're fine, it's okay," he was quick to let her know.

"Alright then, but let me know if you need anything at all. Now, your mother informed us that she would be waiting in the lobby so let's hurry."

They continued, eventually reaching a set of clear sliding doors leading to the parking lot. Sora noticed it was rather bright outside and smiled at how blue the skies were. He squinted slightly as he watched a figure walk from outside and into the lobby, a woman dressed in a black pinstriped suit jacket and matching skirt. It was the same woman he remembered from the previous day, holding his hand for about an hour before she left him. He then pictured that silver haired boy, the one that told him that she was his mother. His lips curved downwards at the memory, thinking back to the sad expression lingering on his face. Sora still couldn't understand why he would be sad, but figured that eventually he would realize why. The brown haired woman smiled at Sora and he returned the gesture, although he felt somewhat uncomfortable doing so.

"Hi sweetie, did you rest well last night?" she asked, bending down and placing a manicured hand on his overlapping ones. They were rather warm and found the feeling comforting.

"Yes…my head hurt every so often, but I was okay." He responded, seeing her stand back up straight.

"Aww, I'm sorry honey, I wish I could make the pain go away," she said rather sweetly as she wrapped her arms loosely around his neck, making sure to avoid touching his head. "Now, I've got to go see Dr. Kadowaki really quickly to sign some papers, so I'll have Scarlet take you out to the car."

Beatrix looked over at Scarlet and handed her the keys, motioning with her head to move on. The blonde did as she was told and began wheeling the brunet out the lobby doors. Sora turned slightly, managing to catch her back as she disappeared into the hospital.

"Isn't your mother just wonderful?" Scarlet asked.

Sora was once again put into a situation where he wasn't sure how to respond. Everyone was telling him that she was his mother, so he simply assumed they were right. But any loving feelings for the woman were not there, something that felt oddly right. Scarlet and Sora made their way through the parking lot until they reached a dark red BMW parked across two spaces. He looked at the way the vehicle was parked, and for some reason he couldn't help but smile. For some reason, he felt like he had seen this before. Scarlet let go of the wheelchair handles and unlocked the car.

"Alright Sora, let's get you in here. Do you need me to help you stand up?"

Sora didn't respond but tried to get up on his own, only to wobble back down in the seat when his legs felt weak.

"Here, let me help."

With Scarlet's assistance he made it in with no problem and let out a sigh as he rested against the leather seat. He watched as the blonde folded the wheelchair and placed it in the trunk; then followed by getting in and closing the door after her. Now, Sora knew he couldn't remember a thing, but he figured that Scarlet was most likely not supposed to get in. She noticed the confusion in his face and laughed, tossing he bangs away from her face.

"Oh, I'm sorry dear, I should have told you earlier. I'm going to be your at-home-nurse. Your mother informed Dr. Kadowaki that she would feel more comfortable if there was someone at home to make sure you were okay."

"Oh…" was all Sora could manage to say. They remained in silence until Beatrix emerged from the hospital building, a small folder of papers secured underneath her arm. She got into the driver's seat and placed the bundle on the other seat, giving the duo in the back a quick glance before Scarlet handed back the keys. Sora was debating with the words in his mouth, unsure if he should ask what it was he wanted to ask. He didn't say anything until Beatrix pulled away from the parking spaces.

"Umm…mom?" he asked, the last word sounding odd to him. Beatrix acknowledged his words but didn't bother to look back. Figuring that she had heard, he continued.

"Umm, mom, do I have any friends?"

"Of course you do hun, but they're all gone right now. It's summertime so all your friends are on vacation. Why do you ask?"

Sora was fidgeting with his hands, picturing the silver haired boy in his empty mind. "Well…is it okay if they visited me?"

Beatrix looked through the rearview mirror, the reflection showing her with a pair of sunglasses. "If any of them were in the city then of course honey."

"So, it's okay that one boy visited me?" he asked, lifting his head.

The car came to a sudden stop, causing Sora and Scarlet to fall forward suddenly. The woman turned around, removing her sunglasses and peering at Sora as if he had said something completely out of place. He was feeling nervous at this point and felt that whatever he uttered shouldn't have left his mouth.

"What boy?" she asked coolly, cocking her head to the side. Scarlet simply watched, making sure not to interrupt.

"Umm…he came to see me last night. He's the one that told me you were my mother. I don't know who he was…but he looked sad."

Beatrix' face paled several shades as she turned her attention to the blonde nurse. "I thought I made it perfectly clear that he was not supposed to have any visitors!" she lashed out quietly, yet harshly. Scarlet had her mouth agape, but nothing seemed to want to come out.

"Mom? Are you mad?"

Beatrix turned to Sora, forcing herself to calm down as she regained the color in her cheeks. "No honey, it's okay. I just made special requests for you not to be bothered while you were in the hospital recovering, that's all."

"But…do I know that boy?"

"No! You don't Sora, he must have gotten the wrong room, now let's get you home so you can rest."

"But he told me that he was glad I wasn't hurt mom, he must…"

"Sora, stop, forget about him. Whoever it was is not important, I know all of your friends and it was someone you didn't know. Now, stop worrying about it otherwise you'll get a headache."

Beatrix pulled her sunglasses back on as she put the BMW into drive and sped off into the streets, earning her some honks from annoyed drivers. She muttered obscenities under her breath, making Sora feel uncomfortable. He was not expecting her to get so agitated by such a simple question, perhaps even shocked by her reaction. Scarlet placed a hand on his shoulder and offered him a smile as the car went on, squeezing slightly to let him know that things were okay and that he was not at fault for anything. But he couldn't help but feel so…weird by how she reacted. It was plain as day that whoever the boy was knew him; otherwise he wouldn't have appeared so affected when he was Sora laying in bed.

_"I'm really glad you're not hurt. I don't know what I would have done if you were in a worse condition."_

Sora replayed those words in his head a few times, realizing more and more that he must have some kind of connection with him.

"Riku…" he whispered under his breath, letting the two syllables drag out. He liked the name, and he found a warmth within it he couldn't explain.

_"I want to remember him…even if it hurts doing so."_

X

"What do you mean he's been released? Is there anyway I can contact him, I need to see him."

Riku was once again, standing within the walls of the hospital, having just found out that Sora had been released earlier that day. The nurse helping him shook her head at his last request.

"I'm sorry sir, but that is personal information that I cannot disclose to those that aren't family members of the patient."

"But it's very important I see him, he's suffering from amnesia and I want to help him remember things. Please, I haven't been able to sleep ever since the accident."

The nurse let out a sigh, "I'm sorry, but please understand, these are the policies I need to abide by. Now, I must be going, sorry for the inconvenience."

Riku didn't have a chance to retaliate as the nurse headed off, her footsteps dying as she went along. Riku was left alone in the hall, unsure of what to do next. He thought of his cell phone and fished the device out of his pocket only to place it back when he realized that Sora's phone was more than likely in Beatrix' possession. Riku was not about to risk calling and having her answer. Although, getting to yell at her and cussing her out was something he wouldn't mind doing.

"Fuck, now what am I going to do?" he muttered, running a hand through his long silver hair. He felt the weight of a set of keys in his pocket, having borrowed a car from Vincent. The raven-haired man was a little iffy about letting him drive through the city on his own, but Riku managed to coerce the keys out of him. Riku thought about Axel's driving and figured that he could not be anywhere as bad as he was.

"That's it!" he said rather loud. Riku sprinted out the building, realizing that if anyone knew where Sora lived then it would be none other than Roxas and Axel. The blonde was his best friend after all and Axel did date him for a while, so it was only natural for them to know where he lived. He got into the black Mercedes he borrowed from Vincent and headed off, dialing in Roxas' number as he drove. One ring, two rings, after the third ring he heard a crackling sound on the other side.

"Hello?"

"Hey Roxas, it's Riku."

"Oh hey Riku, how's it going? Have you gone to see Sora yet? Axel and I are going to go see him today."

Riku rolled his eyes, "Don't bother, he's already left. Apparently Beatrix took him home today and the nurses at the hospital won't tell me where he lives."

"Really? Oh man, now I feel terrible, I wanted to see him before he left. I don't want him to think that I abandoned him."

Riku felt a cold sensation run through his body, realizing that Roxas had no idea about Sora's amnesia.

"Uh, Roxas, I don't think you're going to have to worry about him feeling much of anything. There's something I should tell you."

Riku drove around aimlessly for the next few minutes, informing the blonde on what he already knew. Roxas remained silent for a few seconds following the shocking piece of information the silver haired teen had given him.

"I know it's shocking…imagine how I felt when he told me he didn't know me. I nearly broke down in front of him."

"Oh shit…this is horrible. If only we didn't go out that night…all of this could have been avoided," Roxas expressed, sighing heavily in the background.

"I know exactly what you mean," Riku replied, "but I need you to do me a favor Roxas. I need you to tell me where Sora lives around here. I need to see him for a little while."

"As much as I would like to help you Riku, I don't know where he would be. When they moved to the rural islands Beatrix sold their condo. I have no idea where they could be staying here. Wait, do you know why she even came back? Sora never told me anything about that."

Riku took a turn at a green light, passing by the Al Bhed shop where he and Sora had gotten their club outfits. "Sora said that his grandmother suffered a heart attack and was in critical condition. Beatrix came back to the city so she could stay with her for the remainder of her life."

Once again there was silence on both sides before Roxas spoke. "You mean old Brahne? That's not possible Riku, I just saw her up and about the other day walking her dogs Zorn and Thorn. I know she's on the hefty side, but she seemed perfectly fine."

It was Riku's turn to be silent for a few seconds. "What? Are you sure? But Sora said she didn't have much time to live."

"I don't know Riku, it seems like Beatrix lied about whatever reason she came back to Holly City. I'm surprised the old bat hasn't kicked the bucket yet, but she IS alive and she's fine."

Nothing was making sense to the silver haired teen. What possible reason would force Beatrix to lie to her own son? She hardly spent any time with Sora while they were in the rural islands, so he wouldn't have any idea. The only other person she spent time with was…

"Hey Roxas, I gotta go, I have to make another call."

"Alright, if I find anything out about Sora I'll let you know."

"Okay, thanks Roxas, bye."

He hung up, only to immediately flip the phone back open and dial another number. Riku couldn't believe it, how much more complicated were things going to get? There was the familiar ringing for a few seconds before someone picked up. Riku didn't waste any time before he got straight to the point.

"Don't think for a second that I'm calling you to make up. There's some shit going on between Beatrix and you that Sora and I aren't aware of and you are going to tell me this fucking second."

tbc

**A/N: I am so sorry for the short length of this chapter, but like I said above, I've been having a bit of trouble thinking. That and starting this new job of mine has been kind of stressful. But…I am happy with the way things are going, because things are only going to become more interesting. Vincent touched the surface just slightly…**


	12. Twisted Manipulation

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, all the characters belong to Square-Enix and Disney who own my life. The plot, however, is MINE.

**A/N: Thanks to everyone that reviewed, your words motivated me to get my butt in gear and churn this chapter out. I'm happy overall, and hope you guys enjoy it.**

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 12**

**Twisted Manipulation**

There were no greetings, no hellos or acknowledgements of one another following Riku's hasty, even threatening sounding request. Riku had pulled over, making sure to be out of traffic as he had the phone pressed against his ear, waiting for Baralai to respond or make any kind of noise to let him know that he was there.

"Riku, this is really difficult for me to explain, there's no simple answer."

"Then make it simple," Riku lashed back, digging his body further against the seat while one hand remained on the steering wheel. "All I want to know is why Beatrix lied directly to Sora's face regarding her leave from back home."

"What exactly did she tell Sora?" Baralai asked.

Riku let out a sigh, his hair falling over his eyes. "She told Sora she had to go back to Holly City because his grandmother suffered a serious heart attack and would not be around for much longer. Apparently, from a source of mine, she's perfectly fine. So you see, things don't really coincide."

There was a silence, and Riku knew the older man was trying to bide his time. "I want an answer, it's not fair to either of us."

"Riku…I just can't, please understand that we did what we did so you wouldn't be hurt."

He felt his hand tense up, "What do you mean, "So I wouldn't be hurt"? There's more to this and I want to know why, I'm not going to back down without a proper answer."

"I can't tell you unless I talk with Beatrix first, it's not a decision I can make alone."

"Dad, I don't fucking care about Beatrix, forget about that bitch and tell me why you are hiding things from me. Do you have any idea what I've had to endure these last two days? Do you have any idea how much pain Sora is going through?"

"Wait, you're talking about Sora as if you were friends. Have you been seeing one another?"

Riku didn't know whether to laugh or scream. "Yes, Sora and I have been friends ever since we met at school. That's the whole reason why he's here in the capital. It was just supposed to be mom and I, but no, I had to ask him to come along and then…"

More uncomfortable silence befell the inside of the car as Riku struggled with his words. "And then there was the accident."

"Accident? What are you talking about Riku?"

Riku slammed his hand against the steering wheel, the horn going off and surprising several people walking down the street. Some gave him a dirty look, which Riku was more than happy to return. "You mean you don't know? Did that fucking bitch seriously not tell you that she nearly killed her own son?"

"Wh-what? Beatrix did WHAT?"

Riku let out a laugh, one mixed with the desire to cry and scream all at the same time. "This surprises me dad…to think that even things are being hidden from you."

"Riku, son, I'm sorry for whatever happened, but believe me that I had no idea about any of this. Look, this is very difficult talking about over the phone, I need to see."

"Well good luck in trying cause I have no desire to see you."

"Riku unless I speak to you directly, I am not going to be able to tell you everything regarding what we've been keeping."

Riku removed his hand from the steering wheel and ran it through his hair. "So you're going to tell me what's going on then?"

There was a slight pause, "Yes Riku, I will tell you. If I leave right now, I can be in the capital by late tonight. I can't do more than that for right now."

The silver haired teen eyed the neon numbers staring back at him from the car's clock. "Fine, I'll see you tonight then."

He hung up, tossing the blue and white cell phone into the passenger's seat. Riku then placed his forehead against the wheel, closing his eyes as he let out a sigh. In all honesty, the call couldn't have gone any better. Although, Riku was surprised by the fact that Baralai was oblivious to any information regarding Sora's accident. He lifted his head after a minute or so; the idea of Beatrix keeping things from his father was making him feel slightly uncomfortable. It didn't make any sense, why would she not inform him about it? They were, after all, together and wouldn't need to resort to lies. Then again…he didn't trust Beatrix as far as he could throw her. Realizing that there wasn't much else he could do, Riku decided to head back to the condo. He looked over his shoulder and got back into the traffic when the opportunity presented itself, the black Mercedes speeding up and disappearing into the city.

X

Sora looked around his new surroundings, noticing the large windows in the living room staring off into the city. The walls were rather blank, white with a frame or two housing random scenery portraits. He eyed everything, wanting to remember every little detail in hopes that perhaps something in his mind would click. Scarlet moved him through several halls, each as blank as the one before, until they came to a slightly open door. She went over to it and pushed it open, revealing to Sora what would soon be his new room. Scarlet wheeled him in and then followed by opening the curtains, letting light flood the room and causing Sora to close his eyes for a split second as his vision adjusted to the change.

"Welcome home Sora," Scarlet chirped, her deep red lips smiling at him. "Isn't the view of the city just wonderful?"

"Yeah," he responded, turning his attention after a few seconds towards Scarlet. "Umm, do you think it's okay if I try to walk on my own?"

"If you really want to try, then yes, I'll be more than happy to help you," she exclaimed, already moving to his side and taking a hold of one of his hands.

"It's okay Scarlet, let me try on my own." She removed her grip and watched as Sora slowly, but surely got to his feet. He didn't feel the same weakness in his legs as before and took a daring first step forward. That step soon turned into several, and as time passed by, he was walking again. It was so natural, so instinctive; there was no need for him to remember how to walk.

"This is wonderful Sora, this is a good sign that all of your bodily functions are well," Scarlet said, folding her arms against her chest as the brunet continued to walk around the room. "You are incredibly lucky that you did not suffer any major injuries, you could have been paralyzed."

Sora wasn't really paying her attention as he walked over to the window, his cerulean eyes noticing a plane flying across the sky. He cocked his head slightly, watching as the floating vehicle descended in the horizon.

"Sora."

He couldn't understand why, but for some reason his name being uttered by that voice made him feel uncomfortable. Sora turned around and faced Beatrix, her hair ever hiding the right side of her face.

"What are you doing? You shouldn't be trying to walk right now, you're still weak and need to be in bed resting."

Sora felt the need to get defensive, "But I'm okay, I feel fine. I asked Scarlet if I could try walking and she said I could."

Beatrix turned her partially hidden face towards the blonde, her single eye narrowed and sending Scarlet a venomous look. "Scarlet, please prepare Sora's bed and make sure he's comfortable. I need to have a little chat with you once you're done, I'll be waiting outside."

The brown haired woman turned on her heel and left the room, leaving a horrified Scarlet behind. Sora's eyes went from Beatrix' disappearing figure to the blonde, his head beginning to ache from the very little thinking he had done. The nurse noticed his discomfort and went over to his side.

"Here Sora, let's get you into bed. Understand that Beatrix is only worried about you, she loves you very much so please don't give it so much thought."

Sora didn't fight against her and allowed Scarlet to walk him over to his bed. She pulled the covers aside and motioned for Sora to get in, the brunet more than happy to do so.

"Now, I'll be stationed right beside your room, so if you need anything at all, just holler for me and I'll be in here within two seconds."

"Thank you," Sora replied. Scarlet smiled at him and walked out of the room, closing the door with her as she did. The smile on her face quickly disappeared and was replaced by a stern, even nervous look. She let out a sigh as she walked down the series of halls, her hands fidgeting with each other as she came into the living room. Beatrix was yet again, drinking some kind of alcohol from a glass. She noticed the blonde out of the corner of her eye, but didn't say anything as she neared.

"I'm sorry if I was out of line Ms. Beatrix, I should have asked you if it was okay."

"Save it Scarlet, and drop the formalities. We're all friends here so there's no need for them." Beatrix was perched against the kitchen counter, a finger running around the circumference of her glass.

"Ye-yes, you're right Beatrix. But…I thought we were to not see one another again. You were very clear on that and even I emphasized that you were right. I don't need any trouble Beatrix, so tell me why you want me here so I can do it and get it over with."

Beatrix tossed her hair back, "It's very simple Scarlet. I am in need of your services once more. Did you bring the vials I asked?"

The blonde bit her bottom lip, "Yes, I did, but do you have any idea how expensive they were to get a hold of?"

Beatrix let out a laugh, "Don't worry hun, you'll be reimbursed. Now…I need you to go and give him a dose. I don't want him alert or walking around, understand? He needs to be asleep until tonight when he gets here."

"When he…you don't mean…"

"That's enough Scarlet, do as I said and leave it at that. Once you give him his first dose, you are free to go. After that, you won't hear from me ever again."

"Can you guarantee it?" Scarlet asked, narrowing her eyes at the brown haired woman.

Beatrix took another swig of her drink, "I think the money in that yellow envelope over there is guarantee enough, see for yourself if you doubt my words."

Scarlet followed her eyes and noticed a rather large envelope sitting on the living room table. She eyed the item greedily, her hands just itching to pick it up. But she held herself back as she turned and faced Beatrix once more.

"One dose, and I'm gone," Scarlet expressed, placing a hand inside a pocket lining the front of her white uniform. She turned her back to Beatrix and walked back the way she came, stopping right outside Sora's door. Scarlet slowly opened the door and walked in, smiling immediately when Sora noticed her presence.

"Sorry to disturb you Sora, but there's something I forgot to do. Now, please don't be alarmed, it's nothing bad."

The brunet gave her a questioning look, "What is it?"

Scarlet walked over to his side, the hand inside her pocket lifting with it two syringes and a set of vials. Sora didn't know what they were, but his eyes carefully studied the objects as the blonde placed them on a nearby stand.

"I am going to be giving you some medicine, it was prescribed by Dr. Kadowaki to help you with your fatigue. It will hurt for only a second and then we'll be all done."

Sora watched as she uncapped the syringe, noticing the long pointy needle at the end and suddenly feeling knots twist around his stomach. He sat up, continuously watching as Scarlet poked the needle through one of the vials and filled it with the clear liquid. Scarlet eyed the vial, a small white label reading "Drain" in black print. She set the needle aside and uncapped the second one, this time poking it into the other vial reading "Silence" in the same small, black print.

"Alright Sora, I need for you to raise your sleeve up so I can clean the area, alright?"

Sora was nervous, but did as she asked and lifted the fabric of his sleeve slowly. She dabbed at his arm with a cotton ball, a brown almost yellow liquid staining his skin.

"Okay Sora, now, you will feel a slight pinch, but it will be over soon." Scarlet took the first needle she filled and made sure to squirt a bit of it out before moving it towards the brunet. He took a deep breath when he felt the unfamiliar sensation of the needle breaking skin and winced slightly when she pulled it out.

"That's one, one more to go," she chirped sweetly. It only took a second, but Sora began to feel odd, like if someone were sucking the energy right out of him. He blinked a couple times, turning his head and seeing the second needle come his way. Sora panicked, he wasn't liking this at all and tried to squirm away. But unfortunately, the first shot began taking its effect and he felt everything around him darken.

"Scar-Scarlet…I feel…I don't like…" Sora pressed a hand against his head, his vision becoming darker with every passing second.

"It's okay Sora, it'll be over soon."

He felt the second needle pierce him and this time he cried out, a gurgling cry as his body fell back against the bed. Scarlet placed the used syringe back on the stand and waited a few moments as the effects of the drugs continued. She gulped, watching as tears fell from his closing eyes.

"Scarlet…" was his last word before he went silent, sleep having taken over. The blonde nurse coughed slightly and gathered up her things. She rearranged Sora in his bed and made sure he was resting comfortably before she left the room, once again closing the door behind her. She walked back into the living room, noticing that Beatrix was holding the yellow envelope in her hands.

"I did it Beatrix, now give me my money so I can get the hell out of here," the blonde directed at the other woman.

"As promised," Beatrix replied, extending the envelope towards Scarlet who quickly walked up and snatched it into her hands. "Take care hun, use the money wisely."

Scarlet didn't bother to respond as she let herself out, her footsteps dying as she walked along. Beatrix was now alone, her empty glass staring back at her and telling her it was in need of a refill. She got up from her seat and walked over to the kitchen, only to stop when she heard the phone ring. Beatrix reached for the electronic devise and took a hold of it.

"Hello there," she said into the receiver once it was situated against her ear.

X

Vincent told Riku it was perfectly fine for him to stay behind if it was what he really wanted, but he was currently having trouble coming up with the correct way to phrase it to his mother. He and Yunalesca were sitting out on the balcony, watching the day carry on. It was even more important for him to stay behind now that Baralai would be in the city, and he couldn't miss the opportunity to talk to him and clear everything up.

"Mom…" Riku began, only to stop after the first word.

"Yes, Riku? Is there something you wanted to say?"

"_So much I want to tell you."_

"Mom…I've been thinking about this a lot these last two days. The whole reason we're even here is because you wanted to get away and have a nice relaxing vacation. And I know that you want to go to other places, but…"

Yunalesca turned to her son, her warm eyes looking past the hesitation and finishing his sentence for him. "You want to stay behind, right?"

Riku smiled, "I can't hide anything from you, can I?"

Yunalesca chuckled, "It's quite obvious Riku. I had a feeling you would want to stay behind, and I don't blame you at all."

"But wouldn't you feel bad if I didn't go with you?" he asked.

"It's not the end of the world Riku, you're practically an adult and should be able to make decisions on your own. If this is what you really want, then I am more than happy to agree with you."

Riku reached out to her and gripped her hand, giving it an affectionate squeeze. "So where are you headed off?"

Yunalesca smiled at the gesture and turned to Riku. "Vincent suggested I visit Alexandria. It's known as the fashion capital of the world, so what better place for a designer such as myself to go to."

"Alexandria?" Riku asked in a questionable tone. "Have you even traveled that far before mom?"

She chuckled, "Do I sense some worry in your voice dear? If you haven't noticed by now I'm a grown woman with the capability of taking care of herself."

Riku smirked, "Yes, I've noticed, I was just a little surprised. But, I want you to have a good time mom, even if I'm not there with you. When are you planning on leaving?"

"Sometime tomorrow. I know it's short notice Riku, but Vincent already made all the arrangements for me. Is that okay with you?"

Riku nodded, "It's fine mom, don't worry about it. But, speaking of Vincent, where is he?"

Yunalesca shrugged, "I don't know Riku, he said he was going out for a while. I'm actually glad he's out though. I'm worried that we've both been to much of a burden on him."

"I sure hope we haven't been," Riku replied, sending his gaze back out against the skies.

X

The wind picked up, sending strands of black hair into his face. Vincent was standing out in the bright sunlight, his hands carrying a beautiful array of colorful flowers. He was currently on the northern island of the city, having decided to come pay a visit to a place he didn't like coming to very often. Vincent was standing in a cemetery, the entire area dotted with stone sculptures adorning the graves of those that had passed. It was appropriately gloomy, despite all the green grass and beautiful flowers littering the graves. Vincent was standing in front of Aerith's grave, an intricate sculpture of a woman with many children around her decorating her marker.

"Hi Aerith," Vincent muttered into the wind. "It's been a while since I've last talked to you, hasn't it? Sorry if I haven't come by more often, it's just that…well, things have been busy back home. But I don't think you want to hear my excuses, I'm really sorry I haven't been by. But look, I brought you flowers from your nursery, they're still as beautiful as ever."

Vincent let out a sigh, facing the ground and letting his gaze dwindle there. "Sephiroth took it really hard, we all did. If I'm this hurt about it, I can't even imagine how he's feeling. That's why he's traveling Aerith, to regain his strength, his will to live and work again."

The raven-haired man bent down and placed the flowers on top of the grave while at the same time running his fingers along the stone letters of her marker. He got back up, tucking his hair behind his ear as he stared out.

"Aerith…I need your help with something. I've been having these really odd feelings, like things aren't right. I can't help but feel that your death was not just linked to your illness, but to something else. I know, I know, you're probably thinking I'm giving it to much thought, but understand that it's been on my mind off and on recently."

He was silent for a few minutes, letting the words inside his mouth formulate and rearrange themselves. "Aerith…do you remember a woman by the name of Beatrix? Do you remember meeting her at one of Sephiroth's fashion show a couple years ago?"

There was no response of course. "Yes, Aerith, Beatrix, that brown haired woman. You were always too nice; to free caring to ever notice the way she looked at you and Sephiroth. Something happened a couple days ago and I ran into her, and once again all these thoughts and doubts came into my mind. Aerith, couldn't you see the jealousy she gave off? Couldn't you tell she was jealous of your relationship with Sephiroth? You had an illness Aerith, but did you ever think that maybe there was a reason you got worse? How is it that you lived with this sickness your entire life, and out of nowhere, you get gravely ill? Aerith, tell me, am I right? Are my thoughts concerning this correct? Or am I seriously blowing things out of proportion?"

Vincent's rambling was disturbed when he felt several presences to his side. He turned to see a little brown haired girl and a slightly taller dark blonde haired boy. Another blonde boy accompanied both, his eyes bluer than any sky he had ever seen.

"I'm sorry sir, are we disturbing you?" the older blonde asked, placing a hand on the smaller boy.

"No, it's quite alright," Vincent was quick to reply. He noticed that the boy and girl were both holding the same flowers he had brought to adorn Aerith's grave.

"We won't be long sir, my brother Denzel and his friend Marlene just wanted to visit Ms. Aerith's grave," the blonde said.

"Roxas is right sir," Denzel replied, "We just wanted to bring Ms. Aerith some flowers."

"Both of you knew Aerith?" Vincent asked with surprise in his voice. "Did you children come by her garden often?"

Marlene took a step forward and held the flowers up to Vincent. "I loved Ms. Aerith, I really miss her. Denzel and me come often to bring fresh flowers to make her grave real pretty."

Vincent smiled at the girl, seeing the honesty in her eyes. "That's wonderful Marlene, I am sure that Aerith really loved you too. She loved all her children."

Roxas, currently wearing a black shirt and faded blue jeans, took a few steps forward and pressed a hand on Marlene's back. The little girl looked up at him and nodded.

"I know Roxas, we gotta go home soon."

"Don't feel like you need to rush," Vincent added, bending down to Marlene's level. "I'm sure Aerith would love to know that you children are here."

"You talk to her too, sir?" Denzel asked, bending down slightly himself to be at their level.

"My name is Vincent Valentine, please call me by my first name. And yes, I do speak to her Denzel. Aerith was my friend of many years and I like to come here and talk to her occasionally. You know, let her know how things are going, what I have been up to, those kinds of things."

Roxas folded his arms, watching as they continued talking.

"Ms. Aerith talks back to us," Marlene said rather bluntly. "We sit here for a while and she tells us how she's doing."

Vincent gasped inwardly, surprised by Marlene's words. "Really? And what kinds of things does she tell you?"

"She asks us if her gardens are okay and if kids still come to visit," Denzel responded, earning him a pout from the smaller girl.

"I wanted to tell him that Denzel, no fair!"

"She really speaks to you both?" Vincent asked, feeling slightly at odds. "Could I ask you a favor then children?"

Marlene and Denzel looked at one another and then nodded in response. Vincent took in a deep breath, trying to figure out a way to word his question without letting any information regarding his more morbid thoughts out. The two children walked over to Aerith's grave and placed their flowers next to Vincent's, smiling back at the older man once they did so.

"Denzel, I don't think it's very funny to be making these kinds of things up," Roxas pointed out, tapping his foot against the grass. "It's not very polite to make fun of the dead."

Roxas' brother glared back at him, "We're not lying Roxas, Ms. Aerith really talks to us."

Vincent placed a hand on Roxas' shoulder, squeezing gently. "It's quite alright, it just comes to show how much they really loved her." He took another step forward and kneeled at the children's level. "Could you ask her a question for me?"

They nodded once more, allowing Vincent to continue.

_"This is crazy Vincent, you can't seriously be expecting these kids to be telling the truth. There's no way, why are you even bothering?"_

The practical side of his mind was screaming this out to him, but he pushed it aside as he asked his question. "Children, would you please ask Aerith if…she's happy with the way she left?"

Marlene and Denzel looked over at Aerith's grave and replayed his words in their minds. The wind picked up and took with is several of the flowers they had placed on the ground. Vincent watched as they were carried off, disappearing against the blue of the sky. The children turned and faced Vincent, Marlene being the one to speak.

"She said no."

Vincent suddenly felt incredibly cold.

X

It was nearly midnight by the time Riku got the phone call he had been waiting for. Yunalesca had gone off to bed and Vincent never returned that afternoon, so it was quite easy for him to sneak off without anyone noticing that he was gone. The silver haired teen was already walking along the neon lit streets, his hands buried into his red and black jacket reading "Wishing Star" along his right side. It was relatively cold despite it being a miserably warm day, but he had spent the majority of it inside where it was cool. Baralai had informed Riku that he would be waiting at a 24-hour café not far from where he was, so the teen was not required to drive. This was the first time he was roaming through the streets of Holly City on his own, but was relatively calm and collected as he ventured on. There were multitudes of people still out at this hour, not surprising Riku in the very least. As he turned the corner he noticed the café where Barlai would be waiting at, a sign reading "Wedge" set firmly against the top of the entrance. He looked both ways before crossing the street like a good boy and was soon walking through the door of the café. There was a bored looking waitress at the counter, her arms supporting her head as she stared blankly. Riku looked around, his eyes narrowing slightly when he made out the uncanny sight of the silver hair. He walked past the waitress, who didn't bother to say hello and stopped right in front of Baralai's table. A steaming cup of coffee was sitting by his hand, which was completely forgotten about when the silver haired man noticed his son standing there.

"Riku," he said getting to his feet and moving forward to embrace the teen. Riku pulled back and glared at him, making sure those aqua colored orbs were clearly getting his message across.

"Don't touch me, I didn't come here for that crap," Riku lashed out, making Baralai lose the little hope he had in his face.

"Is that the kind of welcome I get after traveling all afternoon?" Baralai asked, motioning for Riku to sit opposite of him. The teen scoffed as he sat down, letting his gaze wander out the window.

"You should be happy I didn't cuss you out the first chance I got," Riku replied as the waitress walked over and asked if he would want anything. He ordered a latte and she then took off, leaving them alone once more. "You said you would tell me what's going on, so you have my undivided attention."

Baralai studied Riku's face for a few seconds, only to look away. "I'm not ready just yet Riku. I was wondering if you could tell me about this accident Beatrix' son was in. Is he doing okay?"

Riku felt his hands curl into fists, "That fucking bitch…it's her fault it happened. We were out clubbing the other night, having a good time, and then…it all happened so quickly. One second he was fine, the next he was sprawled across the ground. And to top things off, can you guess who the hell walked out of that car?"

Baralai sighed, "Beatrix, right?"

Riku dug his fingernails into his hand, wincing when he managed to break several layers of skin. "Sora could have died! Am I the only one that realizes that she could have killed him? I thank the Faiths he wasn't injured horribly."

Riku followed by telling him the events following the accident and his discovery of Sora's amnesia.

"Son," Baralai began, "why am I getting the feeling that there's something going on between the two of you? Don't tell me that…"

But he didn't need to finish, instead he grabbed his cup of coffee and took a long sip.

"We like each other a lot, dad. During the last two months he and I became close, we got to know each other. Sora and I took precautions in making sure you, mom, or Beatrix never found out."

"Does Yunalesca know?" Baralai asked, pressing his hands together. Riku nodded, feeling overwhelmingly happy that she accepted it.

"She told me that I was the only thing left and that she wasn't about to lose me over it. She accepted the fact that we were seeing each other, she was even happy that we were."

Barlai felt his heart drop following Riku's words. "I guess…I shouldn't be surprised she said something like that. I don't matter to her anymore."

The waitress brought Riku his latte and he thanked her before she headed off again. "You brought this upon yourself dad. Don't expect me to feel any kind of pity for you."

"I don't want pity Riku, I want you to know that I still love and care deeply about you and Yunalesca. There's nothing that can ever happen to make me feel any less about the two of you."

Riku rolled his eyes, "You have a funny way of showing it dad. But, if you don't mind, it's getting late and I'm still waiting for an answer to my question."

Riku took a sip of his latte as he stared at Baralai, waiting patiently for him to speak. The tension in the café seemed to thicken and the older man was having trouble breathing. If Riku wasn't mistaking, he could literally see sweat forming on his forehead. The silver haired man gave a deep sigh, his hands beginning to shake.

"Riku…Beatrix and I planned for her to return to the capital because of a very serious situation that presented itself. I was shocked when she came to me…when she told me the news."

The teen bit his bottom lip, his eyes never detouring from Baralai. "What news would possibly drive her to abandon Sora? What could be so important?"

The older man licked his drying lips, "Riku…there's no easy way to tell you this, but…"

Riku could feel the tension growing, becoming so thick he could almost see it.

"Beatrix is pregnant with my child."

The latte in Riku's hands dropped, spilling its contents all over the table. Slowly, rivers of the brown colored liquid made their way across the surface, eventually cascading down the sides. The very few people in the café turned to see where the noise came from, each one staring at Riku and the growing rage in his eyes.

To Riku, rage was an understatement.

X

It was dark, that's all Sora could tell when he opened his eyes. He tried to move, but was incapable of doing so. The brunet felt weak, so incredibly weak. He couldn't fathom why as he looked around, noticing that the skies were black. His mind felt rather fuzzy as he tried to remember anything that could tell him why he felt as tired as he did. But nothing seemed to pop up and he simply sighed, turning his head to face the door in front of him. That's when he heard the sound of footsteps, the clicking of heels against the floor. His cerulean eyes watched as the door slowly creaked open, revealing a figure bathed in the darkness.

"Are you awake sweetie?" came the voice, sounding awfully sickening to his ears. He winced when the room was suddenly flooded with light, immediately shutting his eyes and keeping them closed as he grumbled uncomfortably.

"Sora, you've slept all day. You even missed dinner, are you doing okay?"

Sora didn't know how to answer, he couldn't even remember falling asleep. "What…why can't I move? My whole body feels really weak."

"Oh honey, you might be coming down with something. Don't worry, I'll be sure to go out and pick up some medicine for you. Are you feeling hungry at all?"

Sora shook his head, "No, but I would like something to drink, is that okay?"

Beatrix nodded, "Of course hun, I'll have your dad bring it in for you."

Sora felt his breath catch in his throat.

"_Dad?"_ He thought. The word sounded so foreign to him, he couldn't even remember what his father looked like.

_"Dad…dad…but…my dad's…"_

Something in his mind clicked, and he immediately remembered his father. But it made no sense, his father had passed away years ago. His head began to throb, the most painful sensation he had ever felt rushed through every cell of his brain.

"Sora?"

He went silent, and his eyes fell on yet another figure, one he had never seen before. Beatrix said his father would be bringing in a glass of water for him, but the person he was looking at was clearly not his father. Sora didn't understand what was going on, everything in his head was making no sense. He took a step forward only to stop when Beatrix reappeared, placing a hand on his shoulder and her fingers playing with the delicate strands of long, silver hair.

"Who…who are you?" Sora stuttered, the knots in his stomach growing and twisting.

He took a step forward, a glass of water resting within his hands. In a silky, soft voice he addressed the brunet, his words echoing in the air.

"Can't you remember the face of your own father Sora? It's me…Sephiroth."

tbc

**A/N: Dun, dun, DUN! If that isn't a very twisted twist, then I don't know what is. Well, I'm prepared for it, you may yell and scream at me as much as you want, I know you guys probably want to. Poor Sora, he's suffering so much it makes me cry, I feel terrible. But…justice will eventually be served, just not right now. And to clear it up right now, no, Sephiroth isn't his real dad. Until next time!**


	13. Tasting Salt

Disclaimer: I own the plot, but not the lovely characters. I am simply borrowing them for the moment.

**A/N: Thanks to everyone that reviewed, I love you all! If you haven't noticed, I changed the summary, so hopefully you guys like it. I apologize for the cliffhanger, I know it was horribly evil. But you guys should have expected it, so don't be surprised if this one ends the same way XD. Enjoy the chapter, I had a great time writing it.**

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 13**

**Tasting Salt**

He flung the chair back, colliding with another table as Riku got to his feet. His eyes were but mere slits; venomously glaring at Baralai and his mouth just tasting the foul words he wanted to scream out. Riku had never felt such anger, something so powerful that he wanted nothing more than to punch a wall, not caring what harm he could cause to his own body. Baralai remained silent, his own eyes watching Riku's figure while both hands lay clasped together on the table's surface.

"You're sick…"

The words dragged out, making the hairs on the back of Baralai's neck stand up. The older man felt the corners of his eyes sting just slightly, a sign that tears could possibly be on their way out.

"Riku, please, you've got to-"

"Don't…" Riku spat out with disgust, "you ever say my name again."

If there was anything that could make a full-grown man cry, it was those exact words. Baralai stood up, a hand reaching out for Riku only to grasp the very air.

"Don't…touch me," the teen muttered, his silver hair cascading down his face and hiding his angry eyes. He turned his back to the older man and began walking away, the contents of his former latte still spilling over the sides of the table. The waitress at the counter watched the entire event, but remained silent as Riku walked past her, pushing the door open and disappearing into the streets. Baralai got up, quickly throwing a handful of munny on the dry part of the table as he rushed after the teen, his caramel colored eyes shaky and glazed with tears.

"Sorry about the mess," he managed to get out as he opened the door.

The waitress simply looked on, waving at him as he left. Baralai glanced down the busy street, noticing Riku's figure several yards away. He sprinted forward, maneuvering around people as he desperately tried to close the gap between him and Riku.

"Riku!" He bellowed out, catching the attention of several people. But the silver haired teen didn't stop; instead he muted the words completely.

"Riku, please!" he yelled once more, feeling the stinging intensify as he wandered. "I'm sorry son, I truly am, please talk to me!"

Riku came to a sudden stop, his hair wafting slightly in the midnight air. Baralai closed in, reaching out and clasping a hand to his shoulder. The hand was immediately shrugged off as Riku turned, salty tears staining rivers down his cheeks.

"I told you NOT to touch me!" The teen screamed, earning him several odd looks. "Mind your own fucking business people!" The citizens made sure to steer clear of him at the sound of his words.

"I don't…want to see you again," he muttered, his hands balled up into tight fists. "I don't even want to think about you right now, not ever."

"Son, please, I'm begging you, and you've got to understand that this was a simple mistake."

Riku scoffed, "A mistake? You're telling me that cunt getting pregnant was a fucking mistake?"

Baralai bit his lip, unsure of what to say next.

"That's what I thought," he said shaking his head, "I'm done here, I don't want anything to do with you anymore."

Baralai didn't have the chance to retaliate as Riku ran off, disappearing once more into the night. The silver haired man was left standing in the middle of the street, his heart suddenly shattering into a million pieces. It was a pain he had never felt before. It was a feeling of complete devastation, a feeling of loss he knew he would never be able to fill. The citizens of the capital continued walking by, each one giving him a sympathetic look as he let the tears flow.

X

The words sounded so confusing to him, probably more confusing than the look currently scrawled across Sora's face. The brunet continued to look forward, his cerulean eyes latched on the figure of the strange, yet handsome man.

_"Sepiroth…"_

"_Sephiroth…"_

The name sounded so foreign, every nerve in his body was telling him that he did not know who he was. But there he was, standing right in front of him declaring himself his father. Sora didn't know what was going on, but one thing he knew for sure. The man he was looking at was in no way related to him.

"Sora? Are you doing okay son?" the silver haired man asked, the glass of water still resting within his hands. He glanced at the water and gasped ever so lightly.

"That's right, you must be thirsty, here you go," he said walking forward and stopping a mere foot or so away from the brunet. He smiled a series of perfect white teeth at Sora as he held the glass towards him. Sora eyed him up and down a few times, but his dry and parched throat was begging for the refreshing looking water. He took it and gulped the contents down, letting out a satisfied sigh and handing the empty glass back into the large, delicate hands of the tall man.

"…Thank you…" he managed to say, using the back of his hand to wipe at the corners of his mouth.

Sephiroth offered him another smile and surprised the brunet by sitting on the bed, his silver hair draping down his chest and resting against the white of Sora's bed covers. He then followed up by pressing a few fingers to his forehead, the touch making Sora feel incredibly uncomfortable.

"You do feel slightly warm, your mother might be right, you could be coming down with something son."

"I…don't feel sick. I just feel really tired," Sora said, moving his head further back into the pillow and breaking the contact between his skin and Sephiroth's fingers. The smile on his lips faltered for a split second, but simply moved his hand back to his side, letting it grasp the covers roughly.

"Why don't you get some more rest? I'm sure you'll be feeling much better in the morning."

Beatrix watched them both, the right side of her face hidden behind her brown hair. A sly smile caressed her lips, one that held oh so many secrets behind them. She beamed at Sephiroth as he walked up and kissed her gingerly on the cheek, flashing him her own pearly smile. Beatrix looked over at Sora, noticing that he was having trouble keeping awake.

"You're still tired sweetie," she said sliding an arm around Sephiroth. "We'll see you in the morning, sleep well."

Sephiroth flipped the light switch and closed the door, bathing the room once more in a comfortable darkness. Sora was left alone, his mind working its creaky gears in hopes of figuring anything out. He felt his eyes drooping against his will, the need for rest overwhelming his exhausted body.

"…_Am I always going to feel this tired?"_

Perhaps things would be better in the morning, but for the moment, sleep was all he could do. Slumber overtook him and he was soon breathing steadily as the night continued. Unbeknownst to the sleeping brunet, Beatrix and Sephiroth were sitting in the living room, each with a glass of sparkling champagne in their hand. The silver haired man was perched against the leather couch, his arm supporting his head as he took a sip of the bubbly liquid. Beatrix in turn, took her own sip, savoring the flavor as she bent forward to land a kiss against his lips.

"It's been MUCH to long," she cooed sickeningly sweet, a manicured nail making a path down Sephiroth's cheek. "I've been counting down the days till I could see you again."

Sephiroth chuckled, licking the corner of his lips as he pushed a wayward strand of hair away. "You and me both, Beatrix. To think it's been a year since I've last seen you. You'll be glad to know that things went perfectly, nobody ever suspected a thing."

The brown haired woman tossed her hair, her right eye momentarily visible to the world. "Yes, it's been a long, tiring year. Oh Sephiroth, now we can finally be together," she said pressing her weight forward. She let her fingers run through his hair, forgetting about everything as they fell back against the cushiony leather couch.

X

"_She said no."_

Vincent could not take those simple three words out of his head as he drove through the city, the black Mercedes hurrying back to the high story condo. He couldn't have gone back the previous afternoon, not after what he had found out. It had been quite a while since the last time he was in his own apartment, the walls a pale gray color and adorned with several frames just like his crimson colored room back at Sephiroth's condo. He had grown accustomed to the place where Aerith spent a large portion of her time, and being able to stay there kept him from his own home, but following the events of that afternoon, he wanted nothing more than to spend a night alone.

The raven-haired man noticed the blinking yellow light, warning the drivers that it would soon turn red. He came to a slow, steady halt before letting his head rest against the back of the seat.

"_She said no."_

Vincent curled a hand against the steering wheel, its black leather cool against his skin. The practical side of his mind was once again telling him he was blowing things out of proportion, that what was said to him at the cemetery was nothing but child's play. There was no way a pair of children could talk to the dead…there was no possibility of them being able to communicate with Aerith. But other side of his mind was constantly arguing back, screaming out that he was right all along, that there was something else linked to her death. His ongoing battle was disturbed when he heard the familiar sound of car horns and noticed that the light was green. Vincent let his foot of the brake and let the Mercedes roll on.

"_I loved Ms. Aerith, I really miss her." _

Vincent played the sentence over and over, feeling a wrenching feeling every time he remembered little Marlene's words. He was happy to know that the children still cared about her, and even more so when he saw them visiting her grave with flowers in hand. For a second he smiled, but only for that one second. Vincent eventually came to a stop at the large, cloud piercing condominium building, its shiny walls reflecting the early morning sun. He stationed where he was supposed to and got out of the car, immediately placing a set of black sunglasses over his eyes. Vincent couldn't break down at the moment, he still had to escort Yunalesca to the airport and bid her farewell on her trip to Alexandria. The man walked up the series of stairs and into the lobby of the first floor, tilting his head as several of the other residents of the large building. After several minutes, Vincent was unlocking the door to the condo and was met with a rather empty space. The living room was uninhabited; there were no signs that anyone was in the room. He took the opportunity to run into his room to change, since he kept none of his clothes back in the apartment. The raven-haired man threw the door open and walked over to his closet where he brought out a long sleeved black shirt and a pair of cargo pants. He knew it wasn't what he usually wore, but he felt no motivation to look nice for the day. Vincent quickly threw the garments on and left the crimson colored room, immediately being met by several of the maids.

"Vincent, where were you yesterday? Ms. Yunalesca and Riku were rather worried about you, not to mention half the staff," one of the maids informed, placing her hands at her hips.

Vincent ran a hand through his hair, "Sorry ladies, I apologize. It's nothing to worry about; I just needed some personal time at home. Is Yunalesca finished with her things? I know her plane will be leaving rather soon."

One of the maids pointed down the hall, letting the raven-haired man that she was most likely in her room. But as he ventured on he noticed that the door to her room was open and Yunalesca herself standing right outside Riku's quarters. He held a questionable look on his face as he walked up to her side.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, making sure his voice was at a low level as to not let Riku know that they were standing right outside his room. Yunalesca's eyes were slightly glossy, as if she was resisting the urge to cry.

"He's been locked up in there all morning, he won't talk to me. I don't know what could be wrong, he seemed perfectly fine last night."

Yunalesca held a delicate hand against the wooden door. "Riku, honey, are you okay? If there's something bothering you please let me know, you don't have to hide things from me."

Silence was her only response. The silver haired woman turned to Vincent and shrugged her shoulders, completely at a loss as to what she could do. Vincent was confused as well, but found that it wasn't in his place to antagonize the boy hidden behind the door. He took a look at his watch though, noticing that the seconds were ticking and Yunalesca's flight was coming ever closer.

"Yunalesca, your plane will be leaving rather soon."

She looked at him with worry in her eyes. "I can't go now, not with him like this. There is no way I can run off to Alexandria knowing that Riku is having some kind of trouble."

Vincent sighed, knowing she was absolutely right. He then followed by gently knocking the door with a closed fist, the sound intensified by the uncomfortable silence.

"Riku, it's Vincent, I'm sorry if I made you or your mother worry last night. I needed some time alone, so I apologize."

There was no response as he turned back to Yunalesca, her hands gripping one another as she looked back and forth between Vincent and the closed white door. "Riku, if there's something troubling you, then I can't go to Alexandria, I refuse to. I'm not about to leave you when there's something obviously wrong."

They could hear the shifting of weight on the mattress in the room before them, the creaking of the cushiony rectangular object signal enough. The sounds of footsteps could be heard and eventually, the sound of the doorknob clicking open. The two adults held their breath momentarily before Vincent motioned for her to enter. He smiled as she opened the door, deciding to stay behind and stand against the wall.

Yunalesca could see the figure of her son underneath several blankets over on the bed. The room was full of light and rather chilly, the fluttering drapes by the window letting her know that it was open. She walked over to the open window and peered out, taking a deep breath of the morning air. Yunalesca remained there for a while, not wanting to address Riku just yet. If anything, she was hoping he would be the first one to speak. But as the minutes ticked on, she found that he was not saying a single word.

"Riku," she began, playing with a strand of silver hair. "After all the things that you and I have been through I would have thought that you could trust me with anything. I'm not here to judge you Riku, if it's something regarding your relationship with Sora then you have nothing to worry about dear."

The teen poked a single eye from underneath the covers, one puffy aquamarine colored eye. Yunalesca could see the uneasiness in that eye and walked over to him, taking a seat at the edge of his bed.

"What is it Riku, what could be bothering you?"

"I…. can't tell you mom, I just can't tell you," he said tossing the upper part of the covers aside, revealing a naked chest. "Please understand that there are some thing even I have a right to keep secret. I'm not doing it to worry you mom, I'm not, honestly."

Yunalesca smiled at him, resting several fingers underneath his jaw. He looked at her and warmed up to her smile and moved forward, letting his head rest against her chest. She took him into her arms, cradling him in a way she had not done in so many years. The steady beat of her heart seemed to calm his nerves just slightly, but it couldn't make the pain of what he had found out the previous night disappear from his mind. There was no way he could reveal it to Yunalesca, it would only destroy the little happiness she currently had. After several moments he removed himself from her side and running both hands through his long silver hair. He plastered on a smile, one devoid of any happy feeling and simply used as a front to try and made Yunalesca feel better.

"Well? Should we get going? Otherwise you're going to miss your flight mom," Riku said jumping out of bed. He hurried over to his closet and pulled out a random pair of jeans, throwing them on as soon as the pajama bottoms were disposed of. Yunalesca watched him, the act he was putting on failing desperately in her eyes.

_"What could be troubling him? What's wrong with my baby?"_

Riku finished placing a tight hooded olive green shirt over his head, letting the fabric stick deliciously against his skin. He tossed his hair back, his puffy aqua eyes trying to sparkle with a fake light. Yunalesca remained where she was, her hands placed on top of one another.

"Riku, you can't lie to me." She firmly declared, letting her gaze reach the floor.

Riku's expression faltered, but he struggled in keeping his face as straight as he could. "I'm fine mom…really. I'm just a little tired. Please don't make this harder on me mom."

Yunalesca got to her feet and walked over to her son, once again placing a hand underneath his jaw and this time pulling his face upwards to look at her. He wasn't sure what to say next, but there was no need for him to speak.

"Riku, do you honestly expect me not to worry when you lock yourself up in your room and refuse to speak with me? If you think whatever is going on is hard on you, imagine what it's like for a mother to see her child suffering. I'm not going to pry it out of you Riku, but please realize that I'm not someone you need to hide things from."

She let go of his chin as she began to leave the room, her face twisting into a mediocre smile. "Let's go then dear, I don't think I could stand it not having you be at the airport when I leave."

Riku let out a sigh and nodded, following after and noticing that Vincent was pressed against the wall. He looked up at the raven-haired man, their eyes meeting for a second as he walked by, following his mother down the series of halls. Vincent was right behind them and stopped once they reached the living room. The maids had all her belongings, each one bowing slightly as Yunalesca walked over to the front door.

"Thank you all so much for the wonderful hospitality," she said, directing her words at the staff standing around. "I've had a lovely time here, please continue to take good care of Riku while I'm gone."

The staff bowed and the maids walked over to the door, opening it and walking out into the hallway. Yunalesca watched as they descended towards the elevator, only to leave the condo once Riku and Vincent were ready to go. The silver haired teen remained close to Yunalesca, smiling every time she looked in his direction. In reality, he was a complete wreck behind a crumbling wall. Vincent could see this from a distance. He could see that there was something currently plaguing his mind. He sighed at the irony though, realizing that he himself held many thoughts and worries in his own mind. Vincent had a feeling, a weird inkling feeling that told him something big was just around the corner.

X

Sora had woken up that morning feeling somewhat tired, but not in the same extremes as the night before. He was able to move around and even opted to walk. It came to him rather easily, and after a little while longer he was moving around normally. Sora found that the closet in the room was devoid of any clothes, something that perplexed his already confused mind. The brunet wanted to change out of his current clothes, a simple white cotton shirt and baby blue sweats. He took a whiff of the clothes and realized that he was in need of a shower as well. Sora decided to do a little exploring and so began his journey through the strange world of his home. He cracked the door open a bit, taking a second to peek out and see if there was anyone standing out there. The empty halls gave him his answer and he was soon walking briskly out from the confining bedroom. Eventually, he came across a bathroom and walked in, closing and locking the door behind him. Sora peered into the mirror, gasping at how pale his face appeared to be. There were dark circles under his eyes and several reddish-brown mounds dotted across his face. He touched them with a finger and realized that they were scabs, a sign that his skin was healing from some kind of cut.

_"Scabs? Did I…fall or something?"_

Once again, the missing memories left him feeling confused. But he simply looked away from the mirror and walked over to the shower, throwing the rich cream-colored curtains asides as he began to strip out of his clothes. He was met with several bruises along his stomach area, the blotches of purple and blues an eyesore against his flawless skin.

"What the…?" He uttered to himself. Sora was more surprised by the fact that he hadn't felt any pain while he was moving around due to the large bruises. The brunet looked over at the shower fixtures and played with the knobs until the showerhead burst into life, the water cascading in a steady jet stream. Sora followed by getting in, letting the warm water pelt every inch of his skin. He sighed deeply, taking with it several drops of water. Sora coughed slightly and shook his head, his chocolate brown hair appearing darker as it soaked up the water. He spent a good half hour or so cleansing his body, making sure to scrub every part of his body and to carefully wash over the bruising around his stomach. Along the way he noticed that his arm was rather sore and found that a bruise was also scrawled there.

_"Why am I so banged up?"_

Sora finished by turning the knobs all the way down and letting the stream of water die out. He fished for a towel located near the curtains and pulled it over the barrier. The brunet began to dry himself, once again avoiding applying pressure to the areas where the dark colors were. Sora jumped out of the shower and with the help of his hand, wiped away the vapor that had covered the mirror. He peered at himself and noticed that a little color had returned to his face, making him feel that much happier. Sora realized at that point that he had no other clothes to wear but felt that it couldn't hurt to ask his mother if there was anything he could use. He left the sanctuary of the bathroom and continued down the series of halls, eventually reaching what was the living room only to find that nobody was there.

"Hello?" he rang out, his voice carrying out like a horn. There was no response, as he stood there, naked behind the small white towel sitting around his torso. He took a look around the spacious living room, noticing that there was a box sitting on the coffee table. Sora walked over to it, finding a small note attached to the top of it and ripped it off.

_Sora,_

_Sorry to leave you hun, but your father and I had some business we needed to attend to. Don't be surprised if you don't find any clothes in your closet, we'll be sure to bring you a new wardrobe. For the mean time, your father made this especially for you. We hope you like it._

_Mom._

Sora set the note aside as he opened the box, revealing to him a beautiful black and white vest with an assortment of silver zippers. He removed the article of clothing aside to reveal a white turtleneck and a pair of blue jeans with red stitching along the pockets. Sora quickly donned the clothing, liking the way the fabric felt against his skin. He picked up the wet towel on the floor and opted to place it over one of the chairs in the kitchen. The brunet then realized how hungry he was, he couldn't remember the last time he had anything to eat. Now that he was fully clothed he ventured through the kitchen, finding a bowl of fruit and taking one of the apples placed neatly at the top. Sora bit into it, savoring the sweet flavor as he continued looking through the cupboards. He eventually found some leftover deli meet in the refrigerator and made himself a sandwich. Everything felt so new to him, so as he ate he looked throughout the condo, finding little things that seemed to catch his attention. The more he looked though, the more he realized that there weren't any portraits, no pictures whatsoever. It was odd to him; he felt that in a home there should be portraits of the family or something of the like. Sora eventually ventured towards Beatrix' room, but he had no idea it was her quarters. He hesitated slightly as he pushed the door open, revealing to him a blank, boring room with a large bed set in the middle. The covers were thrown over the side of the bed, a clear sign that someone had slept in the bed. Next to the bed was a desk with two drawers, two compartments that sparked the curiosity in Sora. The brunet finished the last piece of his sandwich as he laid a hand on the desk, its smooth wooden surface feeling cool against his fingers. His cerulean eyes scanned the piece of furniture, following by opening one of the drawers to find a series of papers.

"What's this?" he asked himself, finding a rather thick folder and grabbing it within his grasp. He began to leaf through it, his eyes growing larger and larger as he read several of the lines written in tiny black print.

_"Accident?"_

Several of the papers began to fall from within the folder, hitting the floor with a silent thump.

_"Amnesia?"_

Sora was gripping the folder so tightly he could feel the pages crinkling within his hands. When the pain came, it hit him hard. The brunet fell to his knees, his hands clutching the sides of his head as the pain intensified. He let out a gargled scream, one that carried throughout the condo. Pictures, images, faces, an intricate web of information flashed before his eyes, each tiny memory bringing with it a more powerful flash of pain.

"…_I'm Hayner by the way…"_

_"Well, let's turn that one person you know into two then, I'm Kairi…."_

_"Sora, that's such a lovely and curious name…"_

_"…Am I really that terrible?"_

_"I'd be careful with him. He may seem nice, but he only cares about himself. Riku uses people and then tosses them aside. I would stay away from him if I were you."_

The images continued to zoom by, each one filling in a gap he was desperately missing.

_"Your grandmother Brahne has suffered a heart attack…"_

_"Sora, mom's made plans for us this summer…"_

_"Come with me…"_

_"We'll figure something out, I won't leave without you…"_

_"Well goddamn, if it ain't little Sora"_

_"We should go out tonight though. I've missed club Hell Fire…."_

_"Oh, you guys look so cute!"_

_"You're an awes__ome dancer!"_

_"But it's so stupid!"… "Why do we have to hide the fact that we like each other?"_

"_I wouldn't be hurt Riku, I've endured worse pain. Just…don't worry about it…"_

Sora was in tears at this point, the pain had numbed into a dull, buzzing within his head. The lights of a car filled his eyes for a brief second, just for one second before everything went dark. Sora fell over in a heap, the tears still falling from a set of glossy, tired eyes. He was conscious, but he felt as if he wasn't there. Everything…every little thing came back to him all at once. But still, things did not make sense. His mother, Scarlet, the injections, the silver haired man, what was going on? He felt his lips move, uttering with it a single word.

"Riku…"

X

Riku couldn't remember the last time he had received a hug with enough force to crush his ribs. Yunalesca was currently attached to him, her arms wrapped across his back and squeezing with every particle of strength in her body.

"Mom…I need to breath…please," the teen managed to say, sighing deeply once she removed her colossal grip.

"I just want you to know that I love you so much Riku," she responded, bringing a hand to her eyes.

Riku looked aside, "You don't have to show me mom, I know you love me. I love you too. Have a great time in Alexandria, make sure to bring me back something."

Yunalesca felt a tear escape, "Don't you worry about that, I'll be sure to bring you back an entire store."

Vincent was a few feet away, trying not to watch the little episode. There were other things currently occupying his mind, things he had been pondering ever since the previous afternoon.

_"You've got no proof Vincent, you've got nothing to follow off of."_

He was brought back into reality when he heard a woman's voice over the intercom, her words booming and echoing throughout the entire airport.

_"Gaia Airlines, flight 10-24 will be departing for Alexandria in 10 minutes. Please advance towards the terminal."_

Yunalesca felt the tears ebb at her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "Oh Riku, please take care while I'm gone!" She bellowed out gripping him in another crushing embrace. The teen returned the hug, squeezing just as hard as she was.

_"Enjoy yourself mom…please forget about all the bad stuff…"_

"Have a great time mom, I know you will."

The silver haired woman let go of her son and gripped the bag at her shoulder tightly, her fingers digging into the leather strap. She bent forward and placed a kiss on his cheek, whispering something as she pulled back.

"…Whatever happens, go with it."

He was left with a confused look on his face, one begging for an explanation that would never be uttered to him. Yunalesca smiled at him and at Vincent before turning on her heel, her long hair wafting in the air as she began to walk away. Riku extended a hand outwards, his fingers wanting to reach her and hold her back for just a little while longer.

"_What did she mean by that?" _He thought, the words sounding so confident it scared him. He let his head fall for a brief moment before turning around to face the raven-haired man, his hand playing with one of the pockets on his cargo pants.

"Shall we go Riku?" Vincent asked as the teen walked past with him right behind. "Or is there something else you would rather do?"

He remained silent for a while, the sounds of other people's voices the only thing to reach either's ears.

"I don't know…I don't feel like doing anything anymore," he said, lifting his head to peer at the ceiling. "There's a lot going on in my mind I don't know what to do."

"_That makes two of us."_ The man thought, placing both hands in his pockets. "You know you can talk to me if it would make you feel better."

The teen simply shook his head, "I don't think so. I don't even want to think about it…"

"Does it have anything to do regarding Sora?" Vincent asked, apologizing mentally for prying.

"He's in there somewhere, has been for a while. I still plan on helping him once I find out where he is."

There was a rumble in his pocket and he knew someone was trying to call him. Riku stopped for a second to remove the cell from his pocket, only to have his eyes grow to mere slits when he noticed whom it was that was calling. Vincent watched his actions, studying the way his face twisted and the harsh way he was gripping the electronic device.

"Not going to answer?" Vincent asked, letting a bang fall into his face.

"No." Riku firmly declared as he stashed the vibrating phone back into his pocket. He resumed his pace, quickening if anything as they walked through the airport.

"Is the person calling responsible for your sudden discomfort?" The man asked, trying to sound as casual as he possibly could.

"You could say that," Riku responded, flicking a wayward hair away, "Let's just say that person is dead to me."

Vincent didn't need any more information to lead him to a conclusion. "It's your father, isn't it?"

Riku came to a sudden stop, Vincent nearly bumping into him as he came to a halt as well. "Stop it Vincent, stop asking, stop asking I don't want to talk about it!"

Riku glared at the older man before storming off, his feet carrying him as fast they possibly could. Vincent had his mouth agape, surprised that his simple question would earn him such a reaction. He wanted to follow after and apologize for prying, but as he watched the figure in the distance grow smaller he figured it would best to leave him alone. Vincent simply sighed as he walked, hoping that Riku would feel better later when he decided to return home.

Riku glanced over his shoulder, noticing that Vincent was not chasing after him and thanked the Faiths for it. He slowed his pace once he reached the outside, the day beginning to warm up as the sun continued to shine. Riku could feel the cell in his pocket vibrate again, but tried his hardest to ignore it. There was no turning back from what happened the night before. There was no part of Riku that wished to see Baralai again.

_"Beatrix is pregnant with my child."_

The words made him sick to his stomach, the thought that there was a life binding him and Sora in such a complicated way made the gut wrenching feeling that much worse. He peered at the white clouds, trying to find something to distract him from the thought. But alas, nothing caught his attention as he ventured down the airport highway, the cars zooming by at alarming speeds. He found himself smiling as he watched the cars drive by, reminding him of Axel's horrible driving. The memory of him and Sora sitting in the back of his black Zephyr seemed to raise his spirits a tad bit. Riku placed his hands in the pockets of his hooded shirt, the green fabric tight against his abs. He wanted nothing more than to see Sora, to see his eyes and the way they sparkled every time he peered into them. Riku felt his hands become fists within the pockets, the need to see him growing with every passing second.

_"Where the fuck are you…I need to find you Sora."_

He cast his gaze forward, his vision coming across someone that looked vaguely familiar. He wracked his mind for a name, a place, anything that would give him a clue as to where had seen the person before. She was a blonde woman, with her hair currently held up in a ponytail. He walked a bit closer, the distance revealing more of her features. Riku felt his eyes grow when he noticed the deep, red color of her lipstick.

"_The hospital…Beatrix pulled that nurse aside…" _

Riku's pace quickened once more and within seconds he was standing inches away from the woman. She had a cell phone against her ear and was jabbering rather fast, Riku managing to catch a couple of her words as he stood there.

"…No, don't worry, I'm going to be sending you the money soon, okay? Seifer, I know!"

Riku felt his eyes go wide at the name. _"She knows Seifer?"_

Scarlet felt the piercing stare on the back of her head and turned to meet Riku, his aqua colored eyes fixated so strongly on her.

"I'll call you later," she said removing the phone from her ear and placing it back into her handbag.

"I've seen you before, you work at St. Alexander's Hospital, don't you?" Riku let out, the words tumbling out of his mouth before she could ask what it was that he was doing just standing there.

Scarlet felt a horrible chill run up her spine, as if someone had caught her doing something totally wrong and having no choice but to explain. "Ye-yes, I do, what business is it of yours? I'm really busy right now, I'm about to catch a plane so I can't be long."

"What did Beatrix say to you?"

The color in Scarlet's face paled several shades, as if someone had dunked her face into vat of white paint. She began to stutter with her words, each trembling sentence sounding less coherent than the last.

"Wha-no, she-didn't, I have no-, what do you want?" She managed to string out, the color in her face continuing to grow paler and paler.

Riku could see the uneasiness in her eyes and felt a sudden horror as to what Sora could be enduring at that very moment. "Where's Sora? Beatrix wouldn't have pulled you aside for no reason at the hospital. You've got to have some information, and I want it."

"You're crazy!" she bellowed out. "I've got no idea what you're talking about, leave me alone I'll miss my flight because of you." Scarlet turned her back to Riku, only to be stopped by a powerful hand around her wrist. The venomous look in the teen's eyes was capable of causing instant death if one was to look into them, and Scarlet felt herself become small before his stare.

"You know something, and I want to know what it is," he dragged out, his hand gripping her wrist slightly tighter.

"Stop it! You're hurting me! This isn't funny, I'm going to miss my flight!"

"Then tell me what you know and I'll be more than happy to let go."

Scarlet tried to twist her hand away but was caught in his powerful grip. It seemed that she wasn't about to go anywhere with the way things were going.

"I'm not happy with what I'm doing, but I don't really have much of a choice," Riku directed at the blonde, her struggles becoming weaker as time ticked on. "But Sora means everything to me…you have no fucking idea."

Scarlet stopped with her fidgeting as she stared into Riku's face, the once poisonous look replaced by an expression masking the pain he was holding inside. The blonde woman didn't know what to do, there were so many things she just couldn't reveal to him.

_"If anyone were to find out…it would be the end of me…"_

Scarlet felt the grip on her wrist slack, which in all honesty surprised her. Riku let out a sigh and let his head drop, his silver hair once again cascading down his chest. "I'm…sorry…I don't act like this. But please…if you know anything about Sora please tell me."

To Scarlet, it was more than begging, it sounded like a desperate plea for help. She was risking everything at the moment, but there was a part in her that felt the need to help. The blonde woman took a step forward, her teeth digging into her bottom lip roughly.

"Look…if I tell you where he is you must swear that you won't ever mention me to anyone, not a soul, do you understand?"

Riku felt his heart skip a beat, "You don't have to worry, I won't say anything, just tell me where he is."

Scarlet took in a deep breath and took one look around her, making sure there wasn't any other person as she divulged the brunet's whereabouts. Riku listened to every little syllable, recording the information into his brain. The blonde moved back once her part was done.

"You've never met me before," she said as she walked away, her heels clicking loudly as she marched on.

Riku felt that there was something deeper, something he had barely touched the tip of. There was no reason for her to get so frantic, so horrified by being acknowledged. The silver haired teen mused over the thoughts but quickly tossed them aside as he peered at the highway.

_"I can't let Vincent take me there, I have to do this alone. I don't fucking care if I have to punch Beatrix aside, I am going to see him."_

Riku grabbed his cell phone and dialed a number, the adrenaline within him growing and making his fingers stumble across the keypad. Within minutes the familiar city taxicab pulled up, the figure of Celes looking through the passenger window.

"You sure like the airport, don't you?" She asked sarcastically, only to frown when she noticed the look in his face. "Don't tell me you and that cutie had a fight?"

Riku hopped in and shut the door to the cab with more force than necessary, earning him a stern look from the blonde woman. "Okay, sorry I asked, where can I take you?" The teen gave her the directions and she soon pulled back into the highway, speeding up to the same velocity as the cars around her.

"I'm sorry Celes, I've just had a rough couple days."

The woman peered through the rearview mirror, accepting the apology and giving him a wink when he looked up. "I can tell by looking at your face. It's quite a change from the last time I saw you."

They remained in silence as she drove, the occasional beep the only sound to fill the inside of the cab. After several long minutes Celes pulled over next to a building that looked just like any other in the city, tall and piercing the skies. Riku fumbled with his wallet and placed some munny into Celes' hand.

"Thank you, sorry for being a grouch."

She shook her head, "Don't worry, whatever happens, I hope it turns out well."

Riku waved as she drove off, leaving him alone on the sidewalk. The teen stared up at the towering building, finding few differences between this and the rest of the buildings in the city. He took in a deep breath as she walked forward and up the steps leading into the lobby of the building. Riku cursed when he realized he had no idea which floor Sora was on. Scarlet had failed to mention that small, little detail to him. The teen had no choice but to walk over to the information desk and ask the person behind the counter.

"Excuse me sir, would you please tell me what floor Ms. Beatrix' condominium is located at?"

The man gave Riku a quizzical look, "I'm sorry, but Ms. Beatrix is currently gone on some business and won't be back till later today."

Riku silently thanked the Faiths, having Beatrix out of the way would only make things easier. "Yes, I'm aware of that sir, but I happen to be her son's best friend. He suffered an accident the other night and I just want to see how he's doing."

"Oh my, I must not have been here when he was brought home. Very well then, her condo is located on the fifth floor, last door at the end of the hall. The elevators are just down this hall."

Riku thanked the man and sprinted off, his eyes regaining the lost sparkle within them. He stopped short of the elevators and pressed one of the buttons, the mechanical gears working their way down terribly slow. A ding rang throughout the air and the doors to the elevator flung open, allowing Riku to get in.

_"Sora…why am I getting a feeling that things aren't okay? But don't worry…I'll be with you soon."_

After several minutes the elevator arrived at the fifth floor and the doors once more opened. Riku eyed the hall, eerily quiet as he ventured on.

"_Last door at the end of the hall…" _He repeated, already eyeing said door right in front of him. He closed the gap and was about to knock when the nerves suddenly kicked in. There was a part of him that told him Beatrix could be standing right behind the door. But he fought the nerves aside as he knocked, the sound carrying like a crack of thunder through the quiet hall. There was no response after several seconds so he tried again, this time a bit louder. No response. Riku bit his bottom lip, his frustration growing at the thought of being so close to Sora, yet so far away. He unwillingly turned the knob on the door, surprising him when it did in fact turn and clicked open. Riku took the opportunity and walked in quietly, glancing around the living room and noticing the bleakness. He felt a strange cold feeling run up his spine, one that he wished never to feel again.

"Sora?" he whispered, the low toned word sounding quite loudly. "Sora?"

Riku froze when he heard the sound of footsteps, slowly becoming louder as he stood there. His hooded olive green shirt suddenly felt constricting and wanted to tear it away. The footsteps continued and Riku could feel a bead of sweat dribble its way down his face as a shadowed figure appeared in the hall. But that nervous feeling subsided immediately once he saw the blue of Sora's eyes.

"Sora!"

The silver haired teen ran forward, his arms wrapping around the smaller boy with a powerful intensity. Sora found that his arms were traveling up Riku's back, surprising him just slightly but melted into the embrace.

"Riku…" the brunet whispered, burrowing his face deeper into Riku's shirt. They remained in each other's arms for a long while, each person afraid to let go for fear of losing the warm feeling inhabiting their bodies.

"Sora, you called me Riku, do you remember me?" He muttered with growing hope in his voice.

The brunet pulled back slightly, his tired eyes peering into Riku's face and offering him a warm, gentle smile. "Yeah…I remember you Riku, I remember everything…"

The taller boy found that his head was lowering farther down to Sora's level, his breath tickling the smaller boy's lips. Sora could feel the warmth; he could smell the distinct scent of Riku. He felt so very tired, the pain located around his head still causing him discomfort. But as he felt the breath against his skin he felt the need to close the gap. Sora melted into Riku, their lips fiercely locked into a heavy kiss. Riku could feel the tears make their way down his cheeks, tears that only Sora could make him shed. They could taste the saltiness of their tears as they remained attached to one another, their tongues managing to grasp a lick of the drops. That's when Riku felt Sora's body slacken against him and their lips broke apart. It was like holding a rag doll in his arms.

"Sora, what's wrong? Sora, talk to me."

The brunet remained in his strong arms, currently being held against his chest. He could feel Sora's faint breaths against his skin, sending goosebumps up and down his arms.

"What…what has she done to you?"

His question remained unanswered as he stood there with Sora against his chest. The thought of Sora suffering was making his blood boil. His eyes slanted dangerously as he pressed his lips to Sora's forehead, resting them there for a few seconds.

"Don't worry…she'll never touch you again."

Riku eyed the open door leading into the hallway. The silver haired teen picked Sora into his arms, cradling him as if he was the most delicate thing he had ever touched. Sora's eyes remained closed, the rhythmic movement of his chest the only thing telling Riku that he was still alive. He pressed his lips to his forehead once more, leaving small kisses against his cold skin. Riku wanted to have as much contact as possible; he wanted to be absolutely sure that Sora was indeed within his arms.

"Never again," he repeated, the words slicing the air as he walked down the quiet hallway.

tbc

**A/N: Loved this chapter, hope you guys did too. Due to my new job, I will only be able to update weekly. So, expect a new chapter every weekend. Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter, I anxiously wait for your encouraging words. **


	14. Unexpected Help

Disclaimer: I own the plot, but not the characters sadly.

A/N: Thanks for reading everyone, loved your enthusiastic reviews. This one is somewhat of a transition chapter, or so I think, (cause it's not as exciting XD) But still, enjoy.

**Ironic Circumstances **

**Chapter 14**

**Unexpected Help**

He wasn't thinking rationally, he knew this quite well as he descended towards the bottom of the building. Riku stood within the shiny, sleek walls of the elevator, Sora resting in his arms and breathing softly against the fabric of his hooded green shirt. The taller boy never took his aqua colored eyes off the slumbering figure. He continued watching and observing, making absolutely sure the brunet was okay. Eventually the doors to the elevator flung open and the walls of the first floor lobby were visible. It was at that point that Riku realized that he had somewhat of a dilemma. There was no way he would be able to walk out of the building without catching every person's attention. Riku glanced around him, trying to figure a way out that would be a little more discreet. But he cursed silently when his options were horribly shut down.

"_Fuck, I need to get him out of here…what am I going to do?"_

Riku thanked the Faiths that people hadn't decided to walk by, giving him a little more time to come up with some reasonable plan. As he continued watching Sora he realized that he wasn't going to be able to do this alone and felt that he would need help. With a little difficulty Riku managed to grab his cell phone out of his pocket and dial Roxas' number. He held the phone to his ear with the aid of his shoulder, the ringing resonating quietly to the two teens. There was a click on the other side and Riku wasted no time.

"Roxas, it's Riku, I found Sora and he's not looking to good. I need you and Axel to come pick us up."

There was a moment of silence as the blonde on the other side took the words in, only to express his confusion seconds later.

"What? Wait, hold on, you found Sora? Where are you, why do you sound so worried?"

The silver haired teen bit his bottom lip. "You can see for yourself when you and that boyfriend of yours get here. All I know is that I can't leave Sora with Beatrix any longer."

Roxas didn't hesitate, "Okay, give me the directions and we'll be over in two minutes."

Riku told the blonde what he needed to know before he hung up. The weight of the chocolate haired boy was beginning to tire Riku, but he wasn't about to falter. It would be a while before Roxas and Axel would get there, so the least he could do was make their stature look a little more normal. The taller boy brought Sora down to his feet but didn't let go of him as his back arched backwards. Riku grasped the brunet from the back and pressed him to his chest, letting Sora's weight fall completely against him as they both now stood against the wall of the first floor. If anyone were to walk their way and notice the two teens, they would now appear as if they were showing a little too much P.D.A. But it was definitely better than people seeing him with another boy cradled in his arms. With Sora pressed against him, he could feel every little beat of his heart as well of his own. He began to relax against Sora; he let his breathing match the shorter boy's. Riku realized at that point how tired he felt. He had been out late, all in thanks to his so-called father. Riku shook his head, his hair managing to cascade over Sora's shoulder. Riku then followed by pressing his forehead to Sora's, letting his cold skin warm up under his own.

"Riku?"

He froze; never had he thought that someone saying his name would freeze his very blood. Riku craned his neck towards the voice, his eyes falling on a short blonde figure. He blinked a couple times, recognizing the person as his eyes continued scanning her face.

"Rikku?"

It was the sales girl from Al Bhed; he could distinguish those blonde braids anywhere. The girl walked up to the duo, her eyebrow arching upward as she noticed the way both boys were positioned against the wall. But her lips curved into a malicious smile.

"Well if it isn't the cute boys from the other day, did you guys come to my place to say hello? How did the outfits work out? Did you knock everyone dead?"

She was met with a less than enthusiastic response from the silver haired teen, making her feel a little uncomfortable. That feeling was intensified when she noticed that Sora was not even awake. "Uh…is there something wrong?"

Riku looked away, "Sorry, but it would be best if you don't get involved. Things are already pretty complicated as it is."

Rikku craned her hip and placed a finger against her lips, "Oh? Am I detecting a little trouble in the air?"

The taller boy gave her a stern look, "Look, I can't go into details, but I need to get Sora out of here. I don't know where, but I'll figure something out."

The blonde girl offered him a kind smile, "Sorry if I was prying. If you guys need some help though, I'm more than happy to do so. I mean, Al Bhed is no fun right now and I wouldn't mind helping out a pair of cute boys."

Riku thanked her, but told the shorter girl that he had already called someone to come and pick both up.

"It's going to be a while till whoever this person gets here," she informed Riku, "Ever thought that maybe whoever you guys are running from could get here sooner?"

The silver haired teen felt a cold prickle up his spine. She was right, Beatrix could come back any second and he wouldn't be able to do a thing if she did. He eyed Rikku, noticing that she was playing with a braid.

"What are you suggesting?" He asked her, holding onto Sora just a little tighter.

Rikku giggled, "Well, first I can give you guys a ride, how about that? You can figure out what to do from there."

"Okay," Riku said, "But you're going to have to help me with him, I can't carry him through the lobby without making a scene."

"Alrighty!" She chirped, her legs carrying her to Sora's side. Together, they held onto each side of the brunet and slowly began to walk forward, letting his weight fall on both. Rikku struggled at first, but even her smaller frame managed to do her part. They walked down the hall and into the open lobby space, where the occasional person dotted the area. Riku noticed the man behind the counter, but he was busily engrossed behind a newspaper. It was easier than they thought and soon they were out in the warm city air.

"My car's over there, you can carry him the rest of the way while I open it up."

The blonde ran off, reaching a small blue Volkswagen Beetle. She waved with her hand and Riku immediately picked the slumbering brunet into his arms once more. He sprinted in Rikku's direction, gaining a few odd looks here and there but ignored the stares as he reached her vehicle.

"Get in the back," She ordered them and closed the door once both were inside. "Now, let's get out of here."

Rikku got into the driver's seat and soon the small car was off, carrying them away from the place holding Sora prisoner.

"Sorry if this sounds completely out of place, but this is rather exciting," Rikku said, her eyes bouncing from the road to the rearview mirror. "It's not everyday that I have two really cute guys in the back of my car."

Riku was surprised that he smiled at her comment, remembering a similar situation involving Kairi and the back of her bright yellow Porsche. He had Sora resting in his lap, his spiky brown hair poking into the fabric of his shirt and jeans. The taller boy placed a hand underneath his chin, gently touching his cold skin.

"I know you said you couldn't go into details, but can I ask what's wrong with Sora?" Rikku asked, her orange and yellow feather earrings swinging like a pendulum. "Even I can tell he's not doing to well."

Riku let his head drop just a bit, the tips of his hair managing to tickle Sora's face. "I have no idea what could be wrong with him. He seemed fine inside the condo, but then he fainted all of a sudden. All I know is that his mother is responsible for this and I couldn't leave him behind."

The blonde girl nodded her head the entire time, her eyebrow arching once more at the mention of Sora's mother. "His mom? She wouldn't happen to be a woman with brown hair, would it?"

The teen nodded, never lifting his eyes away from Sora's figure. "Yeah, Beatrix, it kills me to think of what she could have done to him. But how do you know her?"

Rikku shrugged, "I don't. She moved into our building like, not even a week ago. I've seen her randomly when I've gone off to work, she doesn't look like a very nice woman, that's for sure."

"You got that right," the tall boy replied, tossing his hair aside, "She's responsible for all the trouble Sora and I have gone through."

They remained quiet for a little while, the engine of the blue Beetle the only thing to reach their ears. Rikku was driving aimlessly at this point, having no clear destination left everyone going in circles around the monstrous city.

"Have you thought of where you're planning on going?" the green eyed blonde asked.

Riku sighed, "I don't know, I don't think I can take him back to where I've been staying."

"Do you guys have any other friends in the city?"

Riku nodded, "Yeah, the guys I called to come pick us up, but I can't let…oh shit."

That's when Riku realized he had made a huge mistake

X

Roxas didn't bother to wait for Axel as he got out of the black Zephyr, earning him a disgruntled look from the redhead. The blonde ran up the series of stairs and entered the condominium building, his breathing slightly faster than usual. He looked around, desperately trying to find the figures of either Riku or Sora. Axel managed to catch up after a minute or so and dropped an arm around the shorter boy's shoulder. Roxas looked up at him, his blue eyes full of anticipation and worry.

"Don't worry angel," Axel whispered, "he's with Riku so he's fine now."

Roxas licked his drying lips as he ripped himself from the tall man's side, "I know, but I can't help but feel like something's really wrong."

Axel followed Roxas as they walked the area of the lobby, their eyes continuously scanning for their targets. At some point Roxas got fed up with looking and took his phone out. Axel watched as Roxas dialed away, silently observing his boyfriend as he waited for someone to answer.

"Riku, it's Roxas, where are you guys?"

Axel decided to walk around for a bit longer and left the blonde to talk away with Riku on the other side.

"You're gone? Who did you go with, wait, what? Of course we're still here Riku, you asked us to come down."

Axel stopped dead as he noticed two figures walking through the double doors of the lobby. He opened his mouth but nothing came out as he tapped Roxas' shoulder. The blonde ripped the phone away from his ear and turned to see whatever it was that Axel was trying to get him to see. One of the figures was tall and had long silver hair, someone he had never seen before. The other was the unmistakable figure of Beatrix, her hand currently latched onto the man's arm.

"Shit," Roxas cursed as he drew himself closer to Axel's taller frame. But it was to late for them to run or hide as they walked closer, Beatrix had indeed seen them. Axel placed a strong arm around Roxas' waist as the two adults faced them, Beatrix' face currently somewhere between confused and surprised.

"Roxas…didn't expect to see you here," she expressed, her eyes never leaving his. "How's your mother been doing? I haven't had the chance to talk to her in a while."

Roxas swallowed hard, "She's fine, but um, I was wondering how Sora's doing. I haven't seen him since…well, you know."

Sephiroth stood quiet, observing the dialogue being exchanged. Beatrix' face twitched slightly at the sound of her son's name, something Axel managed to catch.

"Why, he's doing quite well…but don't worry, I'm taking good care of him."

Roxas was finding it hard to believe her words, but tried his hardest to appear unfazed by the looks she was giving him. Axel squeezed the arm around his waist, letting the blonde know that he was trying to get his attention. He looked up and didn't need to be told what it was that Axel was trying to get across.

"Well," Roxas began, "if he's doing well, then I'm happy, but we'd better be going. Say hi to him for me, please."

With the redhead beside him, the duo walked away, their pace quickening as they continued on. Beatrix was left behind, her eye slanting dangerously as she watched the two boys disappear beyond the doors.

"Not to worry Beatrix," Sephiroth said, "It's not like they would even know where to look for him."

The words didn't seem to have been heard by the brown haired woman. "I'm not liking this Sephiroth, how could anyone have figured out where I've been staying?"

Beatrix didn't waste a single second as she hurried over to the main lobby desk, her hand still dragging the tall man after her. The finished pages of the newspaper the man behind the desk had been reading lay spread out on the wooden surface. Beatrix managed to get his attention and he immediately straightened up, bowing his head slightly not only at her but the handsome man at her side.

"Ms. Beatrix, is there something I can do for you?"

"Yes, there is, I want to know if you have seen any other strange people around here recently."

The man scratched his head as he fumbled with his words, "Er, not that I can think of Ms. Beatrix, I know each and every person that lives in this building and I haven't seen anyone out of the ordinary."

The brown haired woman gave a sigh, returning her attention back to Sephiroth who offered her a smile. "You see dear, you're being paranoid."

The man at the desk cleared his throat, once again bringing their attention to him. "By the way Ms. Beatrix, how is your son doing? I heard about his accident, what a shame."

Beatrix felt her blood run cold, "What? How did you know that? I don't remember ever telling you about it."

He felt a lump grow in his throat, the eyes currently looking at him shooting dangerous daggers. "Umm…that nice looking friend of your son's, the one with the silver hair, he was here not to long ago-"

He was cut off as Beatrix and Sephiroth sprinted off, disappearing into the elevator hallway. The man simply scratched his head before returning to the newspaper resting on his desk.

X

Riku tossed the phone aside, his fingers sliding into his hair and pulling on the delicate strands of silver.

"_How could I have been so stupid?"_

It was quite clear to Rikku that things had taken a turn for the worst as she noticed the older teen grabbing a fistful of his hair. They were currently on their way north, the bridge connecting the main island to the northern one coming into full view.

"Bad news?" Rikku asked, knowing the answer already but feeling the need to ask.

"Yeah," Riku muttered, pulling his hand back and laying it against his forehead. "I don't know what I'm going to do now. Beatrix is going to know it was me the minute she sees Roxas, I am so fucking stupid!"

"Hey now, stop that," the blonde girl added, shaking a finger at him. "Don't start beating yourself up, it was a simple mistake. We'll come up with something, don't worry."

Her words managed to lighten things up just slightly, Riku offered her a smile as he sat there with a slumbering brunet in his lap. "I know…I have to come up with something. I'd rather die than to see him back with that bitch. But I can't think of anyplace I can take him in this city without having them find us."

An idea popped into Rikku's head, making her giggle uncontrollably. The silver haired teen wasn't finding the situation funny and raised an eyebrow at the girl. "I hope there's a good reason as to why you're laughing."

"Oh it is, but I don't know if you would be THAT desperate."

"What do you mean? Do you know what we can do?"

Rikku's giggles subsided, allowing her to voice the idea that popped into her head. "Well, by the looks of things, there's one thing that's perfectly clear. You and Sora can't stay in Holly City."

It took Riku a second to grasp what it was that the blonde girl had said, but he found that her idea made the most sense out of anything currently buzzing around in his head. "You're serious? Are we supposed to just hop on a plane and take off?"

Rikku nodded enthusiastically, "Yep! Once you leave the city it'll be virtually impossible for anyone to figure out where you guys went."

"Then how is that something desperate?" Riku asked, curious as to why the blonde girl mentioned something regarding desperation earlier in the conversation.

Rikku rolled her eyes, "Well, cause I know who can give you guys a lift out of the city, but he's a little…eccentric."

The taller boy gave her a quizzical look, "And by eccentric you mean?"

"He's my brother," Rikku finally blurted out, "but he's just a little weird in the head. But it's your best bet on getting Sora somewhere safe."

Riku bit his bottom lip, "Would he seriously give us a lift if we show up out of nowhere?"

The green-eyed girl gave them a grin, "Are you kidding me? He's been complaining about not having anything to do, he'd be so ecstatic to fly his beloved ship again. But I do have to warn you, he doesn't speak very good English, so I'll just have to come with."

Riku rested a hand underneath Sora's head to keep it from bouncing as they continued driving. "You're going to come? I've already gotten you to involved, I couldn't ask you to do this for us."

Once again, Rikku gave them a toothy grin. "Well, since I'm already involved, might as well take full advantage of the situation. This Beatrix woman you guys are running from must be a heinous bitch if you guys are wanting to do this. I'm not about to let you cuties get caught."

The silver haired teen gave a sigh, with it accepting the offer that the blonde girl had placed out for them.

"Alright then, I'm gonna head to Brother's place!" She exclaimed, suddenly turning and causing Riku to slide with the ever-slumbering brunet still in his lap. They zoomed off, the northern bridge disappearing from their view as they headed eastward.

X

Vincent heard the phone ring within his cargo pocket and fished the device out. He placed it to his ear and uttered a hello.

"Vincent, you need to come back to the condo, he's here."

The raven-haired man raised an eyebrow in confusion, completely oblivious as to what the maid on the other side was trying to say. "What's going on? Did Riku come back already?"

"No, no, young Riku hasn't returned at all, but Vincent, Mr. Sephiroth is here!"

Vincent's breath caught in his throat, "Sephiroth's in the capital? When did he get back, how long has he been there?"

"Not very long Vincent, but he's asking for you and he doesn't look to happy about something."

"I'll be right over."

Vincent flipped the phone closed and headed for the black Mercedes he had parked out in the airport lot. He found the vehicle and was soon driving back on the highway, heading into the very center of the city. The entire time he wore an expression showing off the confusion currently plaguing him.

"_Why didn't he give a call? He would have let me know if he was going to be coming."_

For the millionth time that day his thoughts went back to Marlene's words, those three little words that justified all of his suspicions. If he was going to do anything about it, he would need to trust someone with it, someone that would be able to understand that Aerith's death was not accidental. In a way, Sephiroth's surprise visit would give him an opportunity to divulge these thoughts and perhaps, lead them towards a solution. Vincent could see the monstrous building come into view and was sprinting up the steps the minute he was out of the car. That's when he realized his lack of proper dress and hoped that Sephiroth wouldn't mind that he was being a little more casual that day. He reached the correct floor only to find that the condominium door was already open, surprising him just a tad bit. Vincent stepped inside to see the entire staff lined up and bowing to none other than Sephiroth, his long silver hair cascading down his back and resting comfortably there. Vincent's crimson eyes immediately found themselves staring at the tall, handsome man.

"Sephiroth, I'm…glad to see that you are doing well," Vincent voiced, still uncertain as to why he had returned.

Sephiroth slowly turned to the raven-haired man and looked him up and down, only to turn away and to let a stern look caress his face. "Where is Ms. Yunalesca and her son?"

Vincent blinked a couple times, "Ms. Yunalesca left earlier today, she decided to head to Alexandria-"

"And her son?" Sephiroth quickly cut in, his silky voice dragging out.

Vincent could feel a wave of negativity float his way. As if there were something that Sephiroth was not telling him. He tried to ignore it and concentrated on answering the question that was put before him. "Riku stayed behind, he's currently out though."

"Is that right?" The handsome man responded, tucking a bent finger underneath his chin. His icy blue eyes told a completely different story though. Vincent peered closer, noticing the discomfort within them. He slanted his own vision, wondering what it was that was making such a powerful man like Sephiroth worry.

_"Don't…"_

Vincent felt a spark run through his system as he heard the word. He performed a 360 degree circle, his eyes trying to find a physical form to link what it was he heard. The staff looked at him oddly, but Sephiroth remained oblivious to what it was he had done.

"What was that? 

Vincent shook his head, strands of onyx managing to fall in front of his face. "Sephiroth, there is something I would like to talk to you about. It's been quite a while since any of us have seen you, but-"

_"Don't trust him…"_

Vincent felt his lips move, but nothing seemed to come out. Sephiroth acknowledged him at last, giving him a quizzical look. "Yes Vincent? You were saying?"

The crimson-eyed man coughed slightly and retreated a couple steps back. "I'm fine, sorry Sephiroth, it was nothing. We're all glad to see that you are well."

Sephiroth managed a small smile, "Yes…thank you everyone. But unfortunately I won't be staying here tonight."

There was a murmur among the staff, leaving Vincent to voice their confusion. "Are you planning on leaving again?"

The silver haired man was already heading out the door, "It's nothing Vincent, I just have a little business I need to take care of. It was good seeing you again, continue taking care of the place, you've been doing a good job."

And he was gone, leaving everyone completely dumbfounded. The staff retired into the kitchen where they started up a gossipy conversation, leaving Vincent to muse over the sudden visit. It made absolutely no sense to him. Sephiroth was not the type of man to just pop up out of nowhere, and then to suddenly leave? And then there was that voice…it sounded so familiar to him.

"_Don't trust him." _He replayed, his vision reaching the open door. _"What are you hiding Sephiroth?"_

Vincent gripped his forehead, things were growing more complicated within his mind. He let out a sigh, hoping things would eventually make sense.

He never would have thought that Sephiroth was busily seeking out Riku's whereabouts.

X

Riku couldn't begin to explain what it was that he was seeing. Before him was a giant red, even pink looking ship with structures protruding from the main hull outwards. He couldn't explain its structure; all he could do was simply stare at it.

"Meet the Celsius!" The blonde girl bellowed out as she got out of the car. "This is Brother's beloved ship and your one way ticket out of here."

Riku was still sitting within the car, Sora's sleeping figure still in his lap. "Uh, I'm going to need a little help back here."

"Oh, sorry, right," she excused herself as she bounded over to the pair's side and opened the door. With a little maneuvering they managed to get Sora out of the vehicle and on solid ground. Riku let Sora fall against him as the green-eyed girl ran in the ship's direction.

"I'm going to go get Brother, I already gave him a quick call but I need to explain the situation. Don't worry, I'll be back in two secs!"

Riku watched as she ran off, disappearing against the gargantuan ship. He cradled Sora's figure against him and let his fingers roam through his hair. Sora's brown spikes were rather soft, and still a little wet from what he figured were the remnants of a shower. He planted a kiss on top of his head and hugged him closer, bringing their already touching bodies closer.

"…I need to breath at one point Riku…"

Riku's eyes went wide at the sound of Sora's words and nearly let go of him. The silver haired teen pulled him away from his chest and peered into his face, noticing that his blue eyes were in fact open.

"Sora…" he whispered, "You're okay."

The brunet dug his face further into Riku's chest, this time bringing his own arms around to embrace the taller boy. "…Just a little tired."

"Don't worry Sora, I'll never let anything happen to you again, I promise you," Riku quickly let out, breaking the contact to peer into his tired blue eyes. "There is no way I'm going to leave you with someone so horrible"

Sora gave him a weak smile, "I still don't know what's going on…there's still things in my head that don't make any sense. How did you manage to find me?"

Riku ruffled his brown spikes, "I'll tell you all about it later, but right now we have to get out of here."

The brunet looked at him a little oddly. "What do you mean? Where are we going?"

The taller boy simply pointed over his shoulder and Sora keenly followed. He felt his jaw drop at the sight of the ship, and if weren't for the fact that Riku was standing right behind him he would have fallen over. Riku placed an arm over his shoulder and applied a gentle pressure.

"I know, I felt the same way when I saw it. You remember that girl from the clothing store? Well, this is her brother's ship, he's going to get us out of Holly City."

"You mean the girl with the name similar to yours?" Sora responded, gripping the arm against his chest with a free hand.

"Yep, Rikku, she's the one that drove us to the eastern island of the city. She's going to be coming with us. I told her that I didn't want her to get involved, but I found that she has very persuasive abilities."

"I can't believe it…" Sora said aloud, "I can't believe I'm actually seeing the Celsius."

Riku cocked his head at the ship's name, a little startled that he knew its name. "Were you awake when she mentioned its name Sora?"

The brunet shook his head, several of his spikes managing to tickle the underside of Riku's chin. "No…I woke up when you guys were getting me out of the car. But…the Celsius…it's another of my father's designs."

Riku's eyes grew a few sizes up. "But you told me that your father was a boat designer. He designed flying ships too?"

Sora nodded his head, "Yeah, he designed countless ships that are used all over the world. Cid, the man who picked me up and brought me to the capital flew a ship he and my father designed, the Highwind. But many of them were never built while he was still alive. So to see his blue prints become this…it's amazing."

Riku brought the other arm around his shoulder and squeezed Sora back against his chest. "Your father was simply amazing Sora. But…I don't think you ever mentioned what his name was."

Sora melted against the embrace and remained quiet for a few moments, his newly returned memories bringing with it his father's name.

"Laguna."

X

Beatrix was drinking herself to death within the walls of her high story condo. An empty bottle of gin lay on the floor while another was currently being opened within her hands. She was sitting in her room, the covers strewn aside and countless papers littering the floor. Her eyes roamed over the white papers, only to scream inwardly for being so stupid.

"How could I have just left them lying around?" She asked herself, the cap coming off the gin bottle. "I have to find my baby, I have to find my little Sora."

She began to drink directly out of the bottle; only to cough as some of the clear liquid managed to go down the wrong tube. Beatrix was drunk, there was no other way around it. The sound of growing footsteps could be heard coming from the hall, the figure appearing at the doorway. Beatrix immediately flung herself out of bed and into Sephiroth's arms, her alcohol soaked breath making him wince.

"Beatrix, how can you be drinking when you know that you are pregnant," He expressed harshly into her face. "I could understand the one glass of champagne, but not this."

"Oh shut it Sephiroth, I don't care, I need my baby," she lashed out, ripping herself away from his arms when she wasn't met with the caresses she expected from him.

"Don't worry Beatrix, we'll find out where they went, everything's going to be perfectly fine, so do me a favor and get some rest. You're no good to me drunk."

Beatrix wiped the corners of her mouth, her eyes dangerously glaring at the tall handsome man. "Things are not going to be fine, if Sora regained his memory, then he'll know what it was I did."

"Even if he did," Sephiroth cut in, "He won't get to far. Don't worry Beatrix, you're forgetting who it is I am. Just give me some time, things will work out."

The bottle of gin lay empty on the bed, the contents soaking into the white covers strewn over the bed. Beatrix relaxed against Sephiroth, her smaller frame just managing to reach his chest.

"Yes, Sephiroth…I want my baby back."

X

The interior of the Celsius was anything short of incredible. Sora was a little surprised when Rikku came up to him and gave him a hug, letting him know that she was happy to see him awake.

"If you boys will be kind enough to follow me, I'll introduce you to Brother. Come on, this way."

They followed keenly after, with Rikku skipping merrily as they continued. Sora smiled at Riku who currently had a strong arm supporting his back, just in case he were to suddenly faint again or something of the like. The duo marveled at the structures, noticing that every little area was debris-free and not a single speck of dust had collected on any of the gears. Rikku eventually led them down a hallway with a door at the end, the entire interior illuminated by a blue radiance.

"The bridge is right up ahead," She informed the duo as she led them on. "Sora, I mentioned to Riku that Brother is a little eccentric, so be a cautious if he starts acting a little weird around you."

Sora looked up at Riku, mouthing _"What is she talking about?"_ to the taller boy. Riku simply shrugged, he too not sure what they were expecting. Eventually the door flew open automatically, causing Sora and Riku to step aside suddenly. The bridge was incredible, and the view showing the outside was just as great. That's when their eyes fell on the pierced and tattooed form of Brother, his hair currently buzzed off except for the very middle.

"Welcome, to the Celsius!" He bellowed out in broken English. They watched as he lunged forward, grasping Rikku in a tight embrace.

"Yna fa nayto du ku oad?" He muttered to the blonde girl in a language Riku nor Sora had ever heard.

"Oac, Brother, pid mad ku uv sa!" She shot right back, the words meaning absolutely nothing to the duo still observing the little scene. "Riku, Sora, this is Brother, owner and pilot of the Celsius."

They waved at him cautiously, only to gasp when he too lunged at them. But Rikku was quick and tripped him, making him fall head over heels into the steps leading up the bridge to where Riku and Sora stood.

"Brother, get a grip!" She yelled at him, placing a foot directly on his back. "Sorry boys, this is exactly what I was expecting him to do. I don't know what's up with him, he's always been rather touchy when meeting new people."

Sora held onto Riku, smiling nervously at the two siblings at the bottom of the stairs. "Umm…what were you guys talking about? I've never heard of such a language before."

The green-eyed girl smiled at them. "That was Al Bhed, it's our official language. If you haven't noticed, we named our shop after it."

"Rikku, get off Brother," the blonde man grunted from below her.

"Right, right you big baby."

She removed her foot and Brother quickly got up to his feet. He looked up at the boys and simply smiled. "I am Brother, I will be your pilot for this trip."

Riku and Sora nodded, "Nice to meet you."

"So, have you guys decided on where you want to go?" the blonde Rikku asked, her hands at her hips.

Riku shook his head, "I have no idea. I haven't had the chance to think about it."

She placed a finger on her lip, "Hmm, have you thought about maybe going out of the country? It would make it harder for anyone to catch you that way."

"You serious?" Riku asked, voicing his surprised as well as Sora's. "I've never gone any farther than Holly City…"

"It'll be fun though!" She exclaimed. "What about you Sora, any ideas?"

The brunet remained silent, eternally embraced within Riku's arms. "I don't know…I don't think we need to go that far out."

"Rao Rikku, ruf ypuid fa dyga dras du dryd uha bmyla?"

They turned their attention to Brother, Rikku's lips widening into a grin. "You're right, we can take them there."

"What did he say?" Riku asked, his frustration over not being able to understand growing with each passing second. "Right now I don't care where we go, as long as we get out of here then I'm perfectly fine. What about you Sora?"

The shorter boy looked at the floor, his gaze concentrating on a single spot. "I don't care, as long as you're with me it doesn't matter."

Rikku was having trouble keeping her giggles in, she thought they were the cutest thing she had ever seen. "Alright then, looks like we are ready to go!"

"Whoooo!" Brother bellowed out as he ran over to input commands on their computer. "We are ready for take off!"

The mood seemed to have lifted for a minute, causing everyone to smile and chuckle at Brother's antics. Sora sighed, pressing his back against Riku's chest. "You sure we're doing the right thing?"

Riku kissed his cheek, "I can't leave you here Sora…not with that woman. I meant what I said, I won't let anything ever happen to you."

Sora relaxed against him, letting his warmth combine with Riku's as they stood there.

"Hey lover boys, you guys better buckle up if we're gonna take off," Rikku expressed, winking at them and running over to Brother's side.

"Let's get out of here," Riku whispered into Sora's ear. "Together."

They walked after Rikku, watching as Brother continued making preparations. The small group stood there, hearing the engines roar into life all around them. Brother was jumping up and down in his seat, his antics worse than a child's. Riku and Sora stood together, their arms linked together.

"Midgar, rana fa lusa!" Brother exclaimed as the Celsius slowly began to leave the earth.

tbc

**A/N: This chapter was more troublesome than I thought, but I guess it's okay. If you guys got confused with the Al Bhed, here are the translations for what they said.**

**"Yna fa nayto du ku oad?" ("Are we ready to go yet?")**

**"Oac, Brother, pid mad ku uv sa!" ("Yes, Brother, but let go of me!")**

**"Rao Rikku, ruf ypuid fa dyga dras du dryd uha bmyla?" ("Hey Rikku, how about we take them to that one place?")**

**"Midgar, rana fa lusa!" ("Midgar, here we come!") XD**

**I am excited, I wanted them to head off to Midgar the entire time. I hope you guys liked this chapter. Until next time.**


	15. Actions

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I'm a simple boy with a laptop and nothing else.

**A/N: Happy Holidays! I am very sorry for the delay, but life has thrown several bumps into things. Work has left little time for me to write, and FFXII is to blame as well XD. I hope you guys enjoy this, despite it being shorter than my previous installments. Hope everyone has a great holiday season!**

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 15**

**Actions**

It didn't take very long for Holly City to become a mere speck in the far distance as the Celsius continued rising into the sky. From so high up all one could see were the vast oceans covering the planet, with its dark and light waters marking different depths. Riku had obviously ridden in planes before, but this was something he had never experienced. Sora stood at his side as both looked before them, marveling at the repeating scene of ocean water. The brunette boy let out a small sigh, one that managed to reach Riku's ear. He turned his aqua-colored eyes and scanned the shorter boy's face, looking for a sign that could be causing him discomfort.

"You okay?" Riku asked warmly, placing a powerful hand on Sora's back.

"Yeah, doing good," was Sora's response before taking a step back. "If you don't mind I'm gonna go ask Rikku if there's anywhere I can lay down."

"Somehow I don't think you're doing to well," Riku replied with an emphasis on the last word. "Want me to come with you?"

Sora shook his head, "No, it's okay, you stay here."

With that said Sora walked away, reaching the blonde girl standing next to a computer screen. Riku watched the two interact for a few minutes before she led Sora through the door atop the stairs. Sora took one more look at the silver haired boy before disappearing after Rikku. He let his eyes linger after the mechanical door flew shut, hoping that whatever exhaustion Sora was feeling would eventually go away.

"You like this boy much, yes?"

Riku was slightly startled by the sound of Brother's voice and turned to see a grin on his face. He felt his own lips tug to the side as he replied to Brother's most obvious question.

"More than you can imagine."

He was satisfied with his answer and the blonde pilot returned his gaze to the front, allowing Riku to wonder around the bridge. After a few minutes of idle walking Riku realized that he still didn't know where it was that they were going to. He heard the sudden opening of a door and turned to see Rikku walking down the series of stairs. She smiled at the taller teen and gave him a wink.

"Don't worry, he's taking a nap. I made sure he was settled before I left him alone."

"Thanks Rikku," the boy replied, offering the blonde Al Bhed girl a smile. He scratched the back of his head as he figured out how to ask his question without sounding completely stupid.

"Umm, Rikku, I was wondering something…where exactly are we headed to?"

She blinked a couple times before grinning, "Oh yeah, kinda forgot that you guys don't understand Al Bhed, sorry about that. Brother thought it would be a good idea to head to Midgar."

"Midgar?" He asked raising an eyebrow. "I thought we were just going to get away from the capital, not leave the country. Didn't you hear what Sora said earlier?"

The blonde gave a sigh, "Yeah, I remember, but you have to understand something. If you remain in the country and that Beatrix lady finds the two of you, then all hell will break loose. But think of it this way, if you are in another bordering country, then she won't be able to force Sora to return with her."

Riku let the words sink in, still wondering if going so far away would indeed make things better. "How do you know that she won't be able to force him back even if she finds us in Midgar?"

The blonde cocked her head to the side, "My, my, you really don't know anything, do you? Let me ask you this, how old is Sora?"

Riku brushed a stray hair away, "He's 16, but why does that matter?"

"Because in Midgar you are considered an adult at 16. If Beatrix were to find you, she couldn't do a damn thing because Sora would be considered an adult. See where I'm going with this?"

"And you couldn't have told us this in the first place because…" Riku trailed off.

The blonde shrugged, "Well, now you know. So, just sit back and relax, it'll be at least 4 hours till we reach the borders of Midgar."

Rikku walked past the tall teen and drummed up a conversation with her older brother in their odd language. He was left to his own thoughts, coming to the conclusion that it was already to late to turn back if he ever thought about it. Then again, anywhere would honestly be better than the capital. Riku felt the sudden urge to seek Sora's whereabouts and make sure he was sleeping soundly. But as he wondered around, for the umpteenth time, he realized there was nothing to worry about. He found a comfortable looking seat towards the back of the bridge and plopped himself down. For a few moments he let his eyes close, with it coming a comfortable darkness. Before he realized it, his thoughts drifted off as sleep overcame him. Rikku and Brother noticed the slumbering teen and smiled at one another.

""Oui drehg ra'c lida, yeh'd ra?" Brother asked

Rikku didn't hesitate to smack him in the back of the head. "Like it matters if I think he's cute. He's already taken."

X

The day was slowly turning towards evening and Vincent's nerves began taking a turn for the worse. He looked down at his watch for the millionth time, wondering where in all of Destiny Islands could Riku be. The raven-haired man was standing outside on the condo balcony, watching as the sun's harsh rays turned a more golden yellow as it descended into it's evening position. It had been such a confusing day, so tiring, and the teen's unknown whereabouts was only furthering the already disgusted feeling rumbling around his stomach.

"Vincent?"

He turned towards the voice and found one of the maids at the glass window separating the balcony from the rest of the area.

"Yes?" he asked almost annoyingly.

"Will you be having dinner with us tonight?"

Food was the furthest thing from his mind. "No, thank you, I'll grab something if I get hungry though."

Satisfied with his answer, the maid scurried off to the kitchen, leaving Vincent alone once more. He was met with a cool breeze, sending with it onyx colored strands of hair into his face. Vincent looked past the strands with his crimson colored eyes to see a pair of island birds flying peacefully side by side. For a few precious moments the churning feeling in his stomach and troubled mind were at ease, watching as the two birds maneuvered around each other with the most delicate of movements. He couldn't really explain it, but watching them somehow told him that things would be okay. But the feeling was short lived, interrupted by the current reality. Vincent still couldn't understand Sephiroth's unusual behavior, let alone the reason as to why he turned up in the capital without any kind of warning. None of it made sense, and in all honesty, he knew something was wrong. He was so close to revealing his suspicions to the long silver haired man, only to be stopped by the resonating and familiar voice of a person long gone.

"_Could it have been Aerith?"_ He asked himself, placing both arms on the balcony edge, as he looked onward.

"_Is she watching over me? Does she know something I don't?"_

Vincent looked up at the sky, watching as few clouds moved across the blue canvass.

"You are aren't you Aerith? If you are…help me with what's going through my mind. I need to figure out what to do."

It was as if the Faiths had heard his thoughts when he heard his cell phone ring. He took a hold of the device and placed it to his ear, immediately hoping it would be Riku telling him that he was on his way back to the condo. But it seemed that the Faiths were only playing with him.

"Vincent, it's Sephiroth."

He could never remember a time that hearing his boss' voice could chill the very blood that coursed through his veins. Vincent was silent for a brief moment, knowing he had no choice but to answer back.

"Yes, Sephiroth, what can I do for you?" he asked tucking a few strands of hair behind his ear. He fidgeted with one of the buttons on his cargo pants as he waited for the man on the other side to respond.

"Yes…I was wondering if Riku has returned yet. I'm concerned due to the fact that Ms. Yunalesca left him in our care and not knowing where he could be is not something I would wish to tell her."

Vincent bit his bottom lip, wondering how come all of a sudden all he could talk about was Riku's whereabouts. "I'm sorry to say, but he hasn't returned all day."

"And haven't you tried reaching him by cell phone?" He asked almost annoyingly.

"I…well sir, after seeing Ms. Yunalesca off this morning he went off on his own. I didn't feel it was in my power to stop him. I haven't tried contacting him for that same reason."

"I see."

They were left in an uncomfortable silence, only to be broken when Vincent dared to ask his burning question.

"I was wondering sir, why are you suddenly interested in Riku? You appear without warning today demanding where he is and now…I'm simply intrigued with your recent fascination with Ms. Yunalesca's son."

It would have been best if he had kept his mouth shut.

"Vincent, in all the years I have known you I have never heard such words come out of your mouth. I must say that I am quite offended with the tone you have taken with me and I will not tolerate such disrespect."

"No, Sephiroth, I wasn't meaning…"

"That's quite enough Vincent. Now, if you hear word of him, contact me at once. Is that perfectly clear?"

Vincent curled his free hand into a fist, not liking the way his superior was subjugating him. "Yes Sephiroth, very clear. Good night."

There was the sudden urge to hurl the phone across the balcony floor, but instead he opted to curse into the evening air. The growing feeling of disgust in his stomach continued to churn, bringing with it the same annoying buzzing filling his head. Vincent's hands had turned an even paler shade of white as he gripped the banister with inhumane force.

"_Just what the hell is going on with everyone?"_

He let out a sigh, realizing it was time to stop standing around like a bumbling idiot and actually do something. Taking a look at the clothes he had donned that day, he felt it was time for a wardrobe change. Letting his eyes take one last look at the frenzy city below, Vincent strolled back into the comfort of the condo.

X

It was night by the time Sora had risen from his sleep, revealing to him the twinkling skies. He rubbed at his tired eyes until everything came into focus and looked around the dimly lit area. There were two other beds by his, one on the left side, and one on the right side of where he was situated. Up above him and right behind his bed were dozens of large clear windows revealing the night skies. Sora felt a yawn escape his lips as he opted to get out of bed. Feeling slightly constrained wearing the thick black and white vest he had put on back in Holly City, he swiftly removed the article of clothing and let it fall to the floor. Sora began walking down the upper area of the deck to see a series of stairs leading down to the first floor. He trudged on lightly, as if there were imaginary beings still asleep and not wanting to wake them. Sora left the comfort of the large room and began walking around aimlessly, taking in all the details of his father's design.

"_You little tyke, what are you doing up at this hour?"_

A memory flew across his vision, one of him as little boy standing outside his father's study instead of being in bed. Sora found himself standing still in the middle of the hallway as the memory overtook his senses.

_It was 2:00 in the morning and 5 year-old Sora was having difficulty sleeping. He had counted sheep, had curled up into a tight little ball, hugged his stuffed Moomba close to him, but nothing seemed to be working. The small brunette boy with his large sapphire eyes pulled the covers aside and jumped effortlessly onto the glossy wooden floor of his spacious room. The walls were baby blue and dozens of cartoon characters were wonderfully drawn across the surface. With his Moomba still in his arms, Sora left his room and began his journey down the hall._

_It was a completely different world at night, or better yet, very early morning. It wasn't very often that little Sora was able to experience this time of the night. He could see the door leading into his parents' room, which was slightly ajar. Sora peeked inside to see that the bed was only supporting one person and that the other was nowhere to be seen. Beatrix' sleeping form turned underneath the sheets and the boy quickly pulled away and scampered down the hall. Before long the simple act of walking was beginning to wear the little brunette down. As he continued venturing he reached the archway leading into Laguna's study. He knew this place was off limits unless he was asked to come in by his father, so he decided to merely peek into the room. It was dimly lit and the smell of coffee was incredibly strong. Sora sniffled, only to widen his eyes at how loud it echoed. Laguna's tall form lifted from the large desk in front of him and searched for the origin of the sound. His blue eyes found the tips of cinnamon brown hair peeking over the edge of the archway doorway and couldn't help but chuckle._

_"You little tyke, what are you doing up at this hour?"_

_He was caught and Sora was almost surprised that he wasn't reprimanded for being found out of bed. Sora carefully came into full view, with Moomba still in his arms. Laguna hunched his shoulders and cupped both hands together in front of him. The man studied his son's face and warmed up to the sapphire orbs._

_"Come here," Laguna whispered as he extended both arms forward._

_Sora immediately ran up to the man and jumped into his arms, giggling as Laguna embraced him firmly, yet lovingly._

_"If your mother found you she wouldn't be to happy Sora, be glad it was me instead of her."_

_The boy shook his head furiously. "Nuh uh, mommy's sleeping. I saw her in bed."_

_Laguna smiled, "I'm sure she is, but I think it's time you head back to bed mister, you've got a play date with Roxas tomorrow, remember? How are you going to be able to play all day if you don't get some rest?"_

_Sora knew he was right and couldn't come up with anyway to retaliate against the orders set forth. Letting out a yawn, Sora peered over at the cluttered desk Laguna was toiling over. He could see the rough beginning of what he could only assume were the blueprints of a new ship. Suddenly, sleep was the furthest thing from his mind as he motioned to get closer to the desk._

_"Daddy, is it a new ship?" he asked eagerly, his sapphire eyes scanning the large drawings._

_Laguna moved both of them closer and allowed Sora to trace his finger along the lines of the drawing. "Yes it is, what do you think of it?"_

_Sora pursed his lips as he contemplated the question. Once he finished tracing the lines he looked up at Laguna. "I don't think uncle Cid will like it."_

_Laguna blinked a couple times before he started laughing, and loudly at that. He tossed his long hair, the ends managing to tickle Sora's nose. Before long both father and son were laughing not caring that their voices were carrying out. It didn't take long before a very grumpy looking Beatrix came walking into the study dressed in a burgundy colored nightgown. Sora was quick to quiet his laughter as he sunk into the warmth of Laguna's chest. The brown haired woman folded her arms, not at all pleased that she had been woken up._

_"Sora, do you realize what time it is? I think I'm going to have to call Roxas' mother in the morning and let her know that you won't be able to play."_

_A horrified look teased Sora's face and he found that his eyes were tearing up. He clutched Moomba harder against him, as if simply doing so would make things better._

_"Now, now Beatrix, he was having trouble sleeping. He's been with me the entire time," Laguna replied patting Sora's hair. "I was just going to take him back to his room, so go back to bed. I'll be in there soon."_

_Beatrix sighed and turned her back to the duo as she disappeared into the darkness of the hall. Laguna looked down at Sora and winked, giving him another comforting squeeze._

_"Now, let's go to bed before mommy gets mad. Let me just get one more cup of coffee and we'll be on our way."_

_Sora nodded and wiped the beginning of what would have been tears away as he was left sitting in his father's chair. Laguna disappeared into the kitchen on the opposite side of the condo, leaving Sora alone in the spacious study. He looked around, fixating his vision on anything that looked interesting. Hundreds of books lined his shelves, portraits of the family hung on every wall, small model airplanes lined the ceiling, everything just seemed to fit perfectly. Letting out another sigh, Sora noticed that the desk supporting the blue prints had a drawer slightly open. The boy knew he wasn't supposed to go through things that didn't belong to him, but what could a five year old do? Forgetting all about his Moomba, Sora inched forward and slowly opened the drawer further out. Inside he found all sorts of drawing tools, nothing out of the ordinary. But as he continued to look he found a small square wrapped in a white cloth. The curiosity within him urged him on and within moments he had the object in his small hands. Sora carefully unwrapped the square to reveal a picture. He peered at it for several moments, wondering who in the world the person he was looking at could be. When Laguna returned the warm look in his eyes suddenly disappeared at the sight of Sora holding the frame._

_It was the only time in Sora's life that Laguna had ever raised a hand against him._

Sora knew he was being shaken and his attention returned from within his head back into reality. Riku was standing in front of him, both hands clutching his shoulders and both aqua colored eyes peering at him with worry sketched in them. Sora shook his head before pulling away from the grip.

"Sora, are you okay?" Riku asked, inching closer when the brunette had pulled away. "You were just standing there, I've been calling to you for the past five minutes."

Sora blinked a few times, completely surprised at the fact that he had zoned out for that long of a time. "I'm…I'm fine, I was just thinking."

"You sure?" Riku quickly put in. "If there's something wrong don't hesitate to tell me, okay?"

Sora nodded, smiling at the taller boy and offering him a small peck on the lips. Riku licked the area Sora had kissed and smiled back. "Well, that was unexpected."

"I'm sorry if I'm being a pain Riku, understand that I'm just tired."

The silver haired boy shook his head, "Don't apologize, you haven't done anything wrong. I'm just looking out for you, okay?"

Sora nodded, "Thank you."

Riku scanned the brunette's face before continuing "I was going to see if you were awake to let you know that we're going to be reaching the borders of Midgar really soon. Brother and Rikku told us it would be an amazing sight at night. I wanted to see it with you."

Sora simply grabbed Riku by the hand and led him back the way he came. "Let's go then."

Together they ventured towards the bridge, with Sora keeping a few steps behind. He played the memory in his mind, trying to figure out why all of a sudden did it come to him. Perhaps it was simply being in the Celsius that could have triggered it. But as he continued walking he thought of the picture he had seen. With the years, the image had become fuzzy and the features of the person in it were simply a mass of colors with no distinguishing factors. He let out a sigh, believing that thinking over something that far back had no point. Within seconds he and Riku were back in the bridge and the sight of Midgar was in full view.

X

Dressed in a black suit and matching black tie, Vincent was hard to detect against the night. He was roaming the streets of Holly City, carefully searching through the hundreds of faces for that of Riku. After getting the teen's voice mail a few times he came to the conclusion that he was either deliberately not answering his phone, or that something was definitely wrong. Vincent had spent the better portion of two hours going from club to club, asking people if they had seen the missing teen. But he found that his tactics were worthless considering the millions of people that littered the city. Asking everyone he could was not going to get him anywhere.

Vincent decided to take a break and stopped at a local bar called "Tantalus". He wasn't a very heavy drinker so he asked the bartender for a tequila and tonic which was prepared within a few moments. He took a sip and licked his moistened lips as he set the glass back on the counter. The bar was teeming with your average men after a long day of work, each one tossing back several beers that were only adding to their unsightly and growing bellies. Vincent scanned the area not at all surprised that Riku wouldn't be there.

"Yo! Cinna, gimme another beer!"

Vincent turned towards the voice and matched it to an aging blonde smoking his life away. A pack of cigarettes lay on the table, its contents nearly empty. The raven-haired was not at all pleased with his actions and rolled his eyes as he took another sip of his drink.

"Cinna, I said another beer!"

The bartender at this point called for two rather burly looking men standing at the bar's entrance. Vincent put two and two together and realized that whoever this blonde happened to be was about to be tossed out. He watched as they closed in on the man.

"Alright buddy, enough with the hollering it's time to head home," one of the men said in a gruff sounding voice. "You've had enough, head out."

"And I take it ya two oafs are gonna make me?" He retaliated, taking a drag of his cigarette and blowing the smoke directly in the burly man's face. Vincent knew he had made a mistake. A powerful arm came thundering towards the blonde only to be stopped effortlessly.

"I'd be careful who ya start attackin' bud, I wouldn't try it." He released the man's arm and got up, taking with him the pack of cigarettes on the table as he headed for the door. "See ya later fuckers."

Vincent watched as he stumbled out of the bar before returning his attention to the front, his eyes lingering on nothing in particular. He sat there for about 15 minutes as he slowly finished his drink. Satisfied, Vincent felt it was time to head back out and try and find the missing teenager. Taking one more look at the bar he was about to leave, he made a thankful gesture at the bartender before disappearing back into the streets. The night decided to stay moderately warm and Vincent found that the tie around his neck was furthering his discomfort. He loosened the object as he walked on, only to have his feet bump up against something on the floor. Vincent looked down and realized that he had hit someone's leg. Crimson colored eyes followed that leg and matched it to the same blonde man that was picking a fight inside of Tantalus.

"Watch it buddy, I'm a sitting here," he slurred, wiping his mouth with one of his hands. "Or did those thugs send ya to do me in?" He finished busting up into a coughing, laughing fit.

Vincent wasn't sure how to respond and made like he didn't hear him.

"Hey pretty boy, whatcha doing in this part of the city? Shouln' ya be with all those upper class peoples?"

Once again Vincent wasn't sure how to respond and shrugged. "I'm just out for the night, nothing wrong with that, is there?"

The blonde scratched the back of his head, "Naw, nuttin' wrong with that. Now, if ya would be so kind as to help this old drunk up, I'd appreciate that."

Seeing nothing wrong with the act, Vincent offered his hand and the blonde took a firm hold of it. "I'm Cid by the way."

"Vincent," the raven-haired man stated once they were face to face. The stench of alcohol was unbelievably strong and he found himself taking a few steps back. "Well, I must be going, there's important matters I need to take care of."

Cid watched as Vincent walked away only to follow after. "Ya look familiar, haven't we met 'fore?"

Vincent didn't stop his stride, "Who knows, I've met many people in my life."

The blonde man took another cigarette out of his pack and lit it with little difficulty. "I swear to the Faiths I've seen your face. Did we go to aviation school together?"

The longhaired man was beginning to feel irritated by Cid's drunken presence and opted to let him know that he would like to be alone. "No offense sir, but I think you should head on home before something happens to you. I'm rather busy as a matter of fact."

"Oh are ya? You didn't seem to busy coming into the bar and drinkin'. Come on now, whatcha up to?"

"I'm looking for someone," Vincent found himself blurting out, hoping it would be enough to satisfy Cid's curiosity and leave him alone. "And I can't waste anymore time."

They turned a corner, reaching yet another busy and crowded street. Cid blew a set of rings that disappeared into the sky. "Well good fucking luck with all these damn people," Cid chuckled, followed by a cough.

"_Like I don't already know this."_ Vincent thought to himself.

"Well, it was nice meeting you Mr. Cid, but I really must be going."

Before the blonde could get another word in, Vincent maneuvered his way around many bodies and disappeared into the crows. Cid let out a gruff sigh, taking in another puff of smoke before tossing the used cigarette over his shoulder.

"Eh, screw this shit, I'm gonna head home," he blurted out to himself.

A ringing coming from his pocket earned the world several cuss words as he lifted the object towards him. The number didn't look at all familiar, then again he was pretty drunk and things were already blurry to begin with.

"What the fuck do you want?" He said into the device.

Silence was his only response for a few seconds.

"It's good to hear from you again Cid Highwind."

The blonde tucked himself against the wall to one of the building and away from the steady march of people. "Who the hell is this?"

"This is Beatrix."

Cid felt a shiver run up his spine. He felt his tired bloodshot eyes narrow at the sound of the name. Scratching the underside of his chin, Cid breathed deeply and offered his most polite reply.

"What in all of Destiny Islands do you fucking want with me? The last thing ya told me was that ya didn't want to hear from me again."

"And I apologize for everything I have said in the past, but realize that it is indeed, the past. I am calling to apologize for my rash behavior and to ask you for a favor."

Cid snorted in laughter, earning him several odd looks from his fellow citizens. "I can't believe ya have the fucking nerve to call out of nowhere and start demandin' favors, go to hell for all I care."

"Fine then, it'll be on your head if something happens to Sora."

Cid was suddenly sober and everything crystal clear. "What are you talkin' about?"

On the other side, he never would have known that Beatrix was curling her lips in a smile. "Why, don't you know? Sora's gone missing."

"And why are you callin' me 'bout this?"

"Oh don't play ignorance here Cid, I know that you were the one that brought him here to the capital, how else could he have been able to make it this far without any parental permission?"

Cid bit his bottom lip, realizing that he had been caught. "Yeah, so what? I gave the little tyke a lift to the city, but what's this about him gone missing?"

"Well, if you would have had the maturity of an adult when you answered the phone I would have been more than happy to explain it. Sora's been missing since early today and I have not been able to reach him. I'm very worried he could be in some kind of trouble and that's why I need your help."

The aging man let out a deep sigh, "Look here Beatrix. If I agree to help you find him it's only because I care about the little guy, don't think I've forgiven you for keeping me away from him for all these years."

There was a short pause. "Very well Cid, I just hope you can learn to forgive this woman's mistakes."

"What do you want me to do?" He asked running a hand through his hair.

X

Little Sora lay in his bed, his sapphire eyes red and gleaming with tears that refused to stop falling. His cheek was still pink from where Laguna's hand had made contact. He clutched Moomba closer to him as he tried to forget the stinging pain. The skies outside were beginning to lighten as the sun was slowly rising, bringing with it a brand new day. Sleep had been very minimal for the brunette boy and the play date arranged for him was the farthest thing from his mind.

"_Why did daddy get so mad Moomba?" he whispered for the millionth time, clutching the stuffed animal as if his life depended on it. "I didn't do anything wrong."_

_Sora simply curled himself into a small little ball, counted a few sheep, and fell asleep with Moomba in his arms, the face of the beautiful woman from the picture still engraved in his little mind._

tbc

**A/N: Hope you liked, and what better way to appreciate your holiday spirit than to leave a little review hint hint Thank you everyone that has shown devotion to my fic, it's wonderfully appreciated.**


	16. Foreign Skies

Disclaimer: I don't own anything as always.

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 16**

**Foreign Skies**

A smile caressed Beatrix' lips as she finished her call with the blonde pilot Cid. It was so much easier than she could have hoped for. Her hand played with something on the white leather couch she was currently sitting on, something she so stupidly forgot about and could have made her life much easier. Beatrix took a hold of the item, to be exact, Sora's cell phone. She peered at it, remembering that she herself bought him that phone while they were still living in the capital. Once Sora was released from St. Alexander's Hospital, Dr. Kadowaki entrusted all of his belongings to her. Everything from his club clothes to his wallet, but more importantly, his cell phone. She had found it among the heap of papers littering her bedroom floor after managing to sober up from the bottle of gin she decided to drink. Two trips to the toilet to dispose of the bile taste in her throat later, Beatrix was looking through the memory and managed to find a list of all his friend's numbers. There was only one she was looking for, one number that could possibly lead to her son's whereabouts. The brown haired woman dialed Riku's number, her fingers tapping against the hem of her skirt.

"_We're sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavailable."_

It had taken Beatrix by surprise, almost made her drop the phone itself. But it gave her a clue, a very decisive clue as to where they could be. With all the towers in the city, there was no way a cell phone couldn't work. That meant one thing, one that made Beatrix' blood run cold. Sora was no longer in the capital. After cursing for several minutes and feeling the familiar taste of alcohol rising up her throat, Beatrix tried to calm down as she continuously held onto the electronic device. She peered at it once more, looking down the list in hopes of finding some number, some miracle number that would solve all of her problems. That's when her eyes fell on a name she hadn't seen or mentioned since her husband's death. There, in black pixel numbers, was Cid Highwind. In a matter of moments, things began clicking in.

"_Cid Highwind…so that's how Sora managed to get this far…it all makes sense now."_

Beatrix sat in the living room, completely at ease with her latest plan. It was absolutely perfect in her eyes. Sora adored Cid he would do anything the stupid blonde pilot would ask of him. She cupped the cell phone to her cheek, running its surface against her skin and smiling at no one in particular.

"I'll have my baby back soon…he'll be back here with me."

X

Cid rejoined the walking crowds as he put his cell away, at the same time lighting up the last cigarette he had in his pack. He inhaled deeply, letting the taste of the tobacco wash throughout his body. What a better way to end the night, having to track down his best friend's missing son. Somehow, he knew going back to his apartment and sleeping the alcohol off was not going to happen anytime soon. He wasn't sure if it was all the beers he drank making him feel sick or the very thought that Sora could be in some kind of trouble. Laguna had entrusted him to watch over the brown haired boy if anything were ever to happen to him, yet for the last six years there wasn't a thing he could do for the teen. Then again…he was never given that chance. The blonde felt like he was being used, despite the fact that he did indeed want to find Sora. Laguna was watching him from whatever heaven existed up in the skies, and Cid wasn't about to let his best friend down.

_"I keep getting an out service message Cid, that can only mean one thing and you know it too. Sora must not be in the city any longer. I know you have extensive knowledge of all the airports and flights that take off from the capital, that would be the best place to start."_

Cid remembered Beatrix' words, but couldn't help and think it was rather odd for Sora to have taken off. Why would he? He seemed perfectly fine when he brought him to Holly City. Shaking his head at the thoughts, Cid realized that it would be best to simply stick to the plan and figure out if he could have taken a plane.

"You better be okay you little brat, I'm not about to let something happen to you," Cid muttered as he continued through the city streets.

X

If Riku thought Holly City was a metropolis, then he had no idea what to call the scene right in front of him. Midgar, with its countless buildings and lights overshadowing anything the capital of Destiny Islands could ever offer. He stood transfixed, not realizing that Sora was cupping his hand tightly as he too took in everything in front of him.

"Amazing, no?"

They didn't bother to turn around to face Brother as they heard his words. The tattooed Al Bhed man walked up to where the boys were, with Rikku a few steps behind. The blonde girl waved a hand in front of Riku's eyes, making him break the eternal gaze he had set on the city before him.

"I would guess they think so Brother," she responded, giggling. "Well, here we are, the country of Midgar."

Riku managed to find his voice as his eyes noticed the large walls bordering the entire city. "I'm not sure what to say. I've just read and seen pictures of this place, but they don't to it justice, it's amazing."

"I've been here before."

Everyone turned their attention to the brunet, his cheeks immediately turning a slight shade of pink. "When I was much younger though, my dad brought me with him on one of his trips."

"Your father?" Brother asked, walking over to Sora and kneeling down just slightly to be at his level. He peered at him, the act making Sora feel uncomfortable. Riku simply watched on, wondering what it was Brother was doing. Rikku was off on her own looking up at the night skies and twirling in small circles.

"Your father…would his name be Laguna?"

At this point Sora was not at all surprised, his father was after all world famous and any pilot to any ship would know who Laguna was. The sapphire-eyed teen nodded firmly, taking a quick glance up at Riku to meet a warm smile.

"Yeah, it is."

Brother performed a jump, his arms reaching up as far as he could reach and letting out a holler. "Whooo!"

The blonde off in the distance saw and heard her brother's antics and walked over to the small group, her eyes looking at him quizzically. "What's up with him?"

"Brother just found out that Sora is Laguna's son," Riku was quick to chirp in, bringing an arm around the shorter boy and pulling him closer to him.

"You're kidding? Are you telling me Sora is the son of that multibillionaire?" Rikku asked, her mouth agape and her eyes suddenly very shiny. "Holy crap!"

Sora nudged Riku in the ribs, bringing his attention to him. "What is it?"

"I think it's time we head off on our own and let them take off again, we've already burdened them enough," Sora finished, releasing himself from Riku's side.

Once Brother managed to calm down Sora walked over to him and expressed his gratitude for bringing them all the way to Midgar. He gave Sora a toothy grin and shook his hand vigorously, telling him that he was more than welcome and it was an honor to meet the son of the legendary Laguna. Rikku's expression changed and the luster in her eyes flickered.

"Don't tell me it's already time to say goodbye?" She pleaded, her green eyes looking at her two new friends.

Riku took Sora's side and thanked the duo for all their help. "We couldn't have done this without you two. I appreciate it more than you can imagine."

The blonde girl ran forward and threw both of her arms around the boys, squeezing them with every particle of strength in her body. "I'll miss you cuties. If you need anything at all, don't be afraid to call, you got my number." She released them from her vicious grip and joined Brother. "Let's head off."

Brother shook Sora's hand one more time and bid the silver haired teen goodbye, skipping the entire way back to the Celsius. Rikku gave them one last hug, but not before landing a very brief kiss on both of their lips. They looked at her with wide eyes as she ran off, shaking her hand at them and grinning devilishly. "Sorry boys, I couldn't help myself, take care and watch out for one another."

Within a few minutes Riku and Sora were watching the majestic Celsius rise into the sky and soon, off into the clouds. The brunet waved a hand at it, watching as the powerful engines carried it off into the night. Once the flying ship was no longer visible the shorter boy turned to Riku and smiled.

"I guess we're on our own now," he said pressing his face against Riku's chest. "Do you think we'll be okay?"

The silver haired boy rested a hand on his back, kissing the top of his head. "As long as we're together, everything will be fine. Now, let's head in, we need to figure out where we're going to be staying."

It was then that Sora realized that he was missing something. He patted his back pockets, a look of concern etching across his face as the realization kicked in.

"I don't have my phone, or my wallet."

Riku didn't see the issue. He alone had more than enough to keep them afloat for however long they were going to be in Midgar. "It's okay Sora, I'll take care of it all. I just want you to start relaxing and feel better. You've gone through some really difficult stuff and I don't want you worrying over something like this."

But Sora wasn't calming down, the look in his face continued to grow grimmer. "You don't get it Riku, I had all of my personal information in there. Without it, I won't be able to enter the city."

The aqua-eyed teen blinked a few times, finding that his words were in fact true. "I never thought about that…but we still need to try, I'm not about to give up when we're already this far."

Riku inched closer and placed a finger underneath Sora's chin. He pulled his face towards him and captured his lips in a kiss. Whatever negative feeling coursing through Sora's body evaporated as the heat from the kiss washed over him. The brunet broke their contact, both with wet lips and pink cheeks. Riku wrapped an arm around him, once again kissing the top of his head. "Let's head in, we'll be okay."

Slowly the two boys walked the few hundred yards to one of the many entrances of the walled city. They could see two men dressed in blue gear, their backs pressed against their posts. Riku and Sora stopped in front of them, the guards' faces turning in their direction.

" Nationality and identification please," one of the men said in a clear and loud voice. Riku pulled his wallet out and presented his I.D. to the man in blue. He took it within his gloved hands, turning it over and peering closely at it. "Citizen of Destiny Islands, 17 years old, very well, everything appears in order. We hope your stay in Midgar is pleasant."

Riku stood aside as Sora walked up, his hands trembling as he tried to figure out some way to bypass this current dilemma. Once again the man asked for identification and Sora couldn't help but chew on his bottom lip.

"Umm…it's a very long story sir, but I don't have my wallet with me."

"I'm sorry sir, but unless you present valid identification, we cannot allow you entry to the city."

Sora turned to Riku, his eyes pleading for any idea. The silver haired teen ran a hand across his face, he too at a loss. The brunet looked down at his hands, noticing that his fingers were suddenly shaking.

"We've come from Holly City sir, it's been a very long and strenuous trip for the both of us. If you please allow me entry, I am sure that I can acquire the correct information that you are asking of me."

The guard looked at his companion and muttered something that neither Sora nor Riku managed to catch.

"Do you know of anyone that lives in Midgar?" the guard asked, bringing up what looked like an electronic organizer up to his face. "If you know of someone that lives within the city, and can identify you, then we will allow you entry."

Sora stood transfixed.

_"I…I don't know anyone here. When dad and I came here, I was only 8. We were staying with…at that one place. There was a man…he had blonde hair…"_

"Sir?"

Sora shook his head, resting his eyes on the rugged face of the guard. He took another glance over at Riku, receiving a reassuring smile. Sora took a deep breath and faced the two guards once more.

"Rufus Shinra."

The guards remained quiet, their eyes staring at Sora as if he had gone mad. "You must be joking. Now unless you know of a legitimate person, we are going to have to ask you to leave."

Riku walked up besides Sora, taking his hand in his. "Why is it a joke? Sora is telling the truth."

One of the blue-clad guards let out a laugh, causing his companion to burst out in hysterics. "Very funny boys, but I doubt the president of Midgar would know a boy little boy of 15."

"16," Sora clarified, the familiar feeling of anger rising within his body. "You asked if I knew anyone and I gave you an answer. I have visited Midgar before with my father, Laguna."

Suddenly their laughter stopped and the color in their face paled. "La-Laguna, you are the son of Laguna?"

The brunet wore a triumphant smile. _"I knew that would work. Why didn't I just say it sooner?"_ "Yes, my father was named Laguna. We were guests of Rufus Shinra several years ago."

The guards looked at one another and Sora could almost see the sweat on their faces as the seconds ticked on. He watched curiously, with Riku still holding his hand. One of the men began hitting several buttons on his organizer or what ever it was he had while muttering to himself.

"You met the president of Midgar?" Riku whispered, his eyes full of quiet surprise.

The smaller boy nodded, "I guess so, I don't care if I really remember a lot of it, but it's our best bet into the city."

There was a sudden cough and their attention fell on the sentries. "Excuse us for the inconvenience, we are terribly sorry. We welcome you to the city of Midgar and we'd be more than happy to escort you in."

The brunet looked up at Riku and gave him a smile. Together they walked forward as the giant doors began to slowly open, revealing to them the beginnings of the metropolis. Much like Holly City, there were neon signs, buzzing cars, and multitudes of people lining the streets. Sora noticed that the guards were at both their sides and turned to them.

"Thank you, but we can manage on our own."

They looked at one another. "It wouldn't be any trouble, if you'd like we can take you to Mr. Shinra's quarters in the center of the city."

Riku squeezed the sapphire-eyed teen's hand, sending him a small nod of his head. He peered into his eyes, wondering what it was that he was trying to say.

"Sora's right, we can take care of ourselves, thank you," Riku replied pulling Sora with him as they ran into the busy crowds. They could see the guards take a few steps forward before turning back. Apparently, chasing after teenage boys wasn't on their agenda for the night.

"What was up back there? What were you trying to say?" Sora asked once they were several hundred feet from the walls.

"I think we should let as few people know who we are and where we're from. If this Rufus Shinra found you, maybe he'd try and contact someone you know. It would blow our cover."

Sora analyzed his words, understanding where it was he was coming from. Nodding at Riku, and giving him a quick kiss, they continued walking along the streets, noticing all the similarities that this city had against their capital.

"I think we should first find a place to stay. We'll figure what we'll do next from there," Riku suggested, realizing that his olive green shirt was providing very little protection against the much cooler air of Midgar. "I also think it's a good idea that we talk about everything that's happened."

"Yeah," Sora nodded, realizing that despite having his memory restored, there were several things that he still was having trouble understanding. He wanted desperately to tell him about Scarlet, the silver haired man Sephiroth, and all the things that still made no sense. Gripping Riku's hand tighter, and ignoring the looks the people were giving them, the two teens ventured further into the city.

X

Vincent closed the door behind him, coming to meet an empty dark living room. More than likely the maids had retired for the night, then again, taking a look at his watch it was almost 4:30 in the morning. He removed his black jacket and threw it against one of the couches, hitting the side and sliding down to the glossy wood floor.

It was a fruitless search. He had searched half the city, well, he was exaggerating there, but still a large portion of the neon lit metropolis. No matter who he asked, where he looked, it led him back to the very beginning. A light perspiration dotted his brow, only to be wiped away as he walked over to one of the couches and plopping down. He let out a sigh of relief at no longer having to be on his feet.

"That's the last time I walk for eight hours straight."

Vincent watched the empty ceiling, his red eyes following imaginary lines among the darkness. He took a look around him, recognizing how empty and lifeless everything felt. Vincent realized how much Yunalesca and Riku's presence had affected the atmosphere. With them around, everything felt so much more homely and friendly. Now everything just felt out of place. Vincent rubbed his tired eyes, a yawn managing to escape at the same time. The sound of the phone ringing brought him back into reality as he grudgingly got to his feet.

"Who the hell could be calling at this godforsaken hour?" he muttered as he walked towards the phone. He picked it up with a lazy grip, letting out a less than happy greeting into the mouthpiece.

"Oh! I'm so sorry Vincent, I didn't realize how late is must be."

The raven-haired man immediately perked up at the sound of Yunalesca's voice. He felt a lump form in his throat, knowing very well that she was going to ask how Riku was doing.

"Uh, no, don't worry about it Yunalesca. I've been having a hard time falling asleep so I've been up. How's Alexandria treating you?"

"It's going wonderfully. I'm giving you a call from my hotel room before I head out. Is everything okay? How's Riku doing?"

Vincent swallowed hard. "Oh, he's doing well, sleeping at the moment though."

"He'd better be. Well, tell him I called when he wakes up in the morning. I want to talk to him when he has a chance. I'll leave you my number here at the hotel."

"Great, thank you Yunalesca."

He hung up, his hand still hovering over the phone.

"I need to find him."

It was terribly late and sleep was calling for Vincent. He picked his jacket off the floor and walked into his room, throwing the door closed behind him.

X

Riku stood by the window, peering through the curtains at the city below. Sora rested on a comfortable looking king sized bed, sprawled out and looking up at the white ceiling. He ran a hand over his face, letting out a tired sigh despite having slept the entire way aboard the Celsius. Finding a hotel room came rather easy for the two. They had roamed around the city for a half hour or so, making small talk as they scoured for the perfect place. Sora mentioned he liked the name of a hotel by the name of Radiant Garden, and their search was over.

"It's nice isn't it?" Riku finally said, breaking their little silence. "I bet it's not the same during the day, when all the lights are off."

Sora nodded dumbly, his eyes still resting on the ceiling. "Just like Holly City."

Riku let go of the curtains as he walked over to the bed and took a seat at the edge. He watched Sora for a few moments, noticing the rhythmic movement of his chest. Sora knew his eyes were watching him, but he didn't feel at all uncomfortable. They were looking at him lovingly, with nothing menacing behind them.

"I'm sorry."

Sora propped himself up on his elbows, his face turning in Riku's direction. He couldn't see past his silver hair as Riku sat there staring at the floor. The brunet teen moved closer to the older boy, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a squeeze.

"What are you talking about?" Sora responded, moving so his legs were situated around Riku and his chest to his back. He wrapped his arms around him, bringing the silver haired boy against him, letting him feel the beating of his heart.

"It's my fault things got this complicated. I should have let you stay behind Sora. If I wasn't so selfish then none of this would have happened."

Sora didn't let go of him. Instead he hugged him closer, if that was even possible of doing. He kissed his back, his lips meeting the fabric of his olive colored shirt. "None of it was your fault. It's neither of our faults Riku, how could we have known that it would get this far? You weren't the only one being selfish, I was too."

Riku moved his head slightly to the side, his hair still hiding his face. "How can you be selfish? I was the one demanding you come with me."

Sora burrowed his face into Riku's back, shaking his head at the same time. "Don't you remember? When we were sitting in my living room? You told me that you were going off and I got up and walked away. What I should have done was smile and wish you a great trip. I was being selfish there, trying to make you feel bad for leaving me."

"But I didn't want to!" Riku added harshly.

"I know you didn't, it's very obvious now."

He felt the tension in Riku's body slacken at the end of his sentence. "Now…let's forget about who's to blame here. It's established we're both at fault. Can you live with that?"

Riku nodded, "I guess so."

They were quiet for a few minutes, their bodies still touching. Riku looked past the strands of silver, his eyes following a speck of dust as it fell towards the floor. "That night, at club Hellfire, I had fun."

Sora smiled against Riku's back. "Yeah? It was your first time going to a club, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, it was. You looked absolutely gorgeous. I swear everyone in there was checking you out," Riku added, feeling a smile tug at his lips.

"Not just me, but everyone was looking at you too. Remember Gippal? He couldn't keep his eyes off of you."

"He didn't seem to happy to see me with you though," Riku said, drawing circles on his pants leg.

"I don't care, Gippal's kind of like that. He watches out for me, makes sure I'm doing okay."

Riku couldn't help but laugh. "He thought I was going to have my way with you?"

Sora felt his cheeks redden at the thought. "Well…it's possible. You never know what could be going through his head."

The silence returned following their little bouts of laughter, bringing with it a more serious atmosphere. Riku shifted where he sat, causing Sora to move further back on the bed. The silver haired teen laid down, resting his head in the make shift pillow of Sora's legs. Riku looked up, catching Sora's blue eyes with his.

"Do you remember anything after we left the club?" Riku asked, taking a hold of Sora's hand in his. He could feel a sudden trembling underneath his head and tried to get up only to be stopped by Sora's arms.

"I…I don't really." He said, bringing a hand against his face. "All I can remember is a bright light before everything went dark."

Riku sucked in a deep breath, wondering if Sora knew who in fact was responsible for his accident. "Do you know who it was that was driving the car?"

It was no surprise to the older boy when Sora shook his head. "No…I don't."

"_It's no point hiding it. I'm not going to make this any more difficult than it should be."_ Riku thought, glancing down at his hand.

"It was Beatrix," he whispered.

Riku felt his head tumble back against the bed as Sora escaped from under him. He turned over to see the horrified expression scrawled across his angelic face. For a second Riku regretted telling him, but he knew it was for the best.

"No…it couldn't…she was sitting with me…at the hospital…" Sora drifted into silence.

The older boy crawled forward and pulled him towards him once more, knowing that simply being touched and caressed would make things better. As he cradled him in his arms, Riku explained the events following his accident. Sora remained quiet, simply breathing into Riku's chest as he listened.

"It was a miracle that I found you Sora," he expressed. "If I didn't run into that nurse from the hospital at the airport when I was seeing my mom off, then I probably wouldn't be holding you here with me."

He felt Sora's body tense up and pushed him back slightly. "What's wrong?"

"Nurse? A woman with blonde hair?" Sora said with the clear sign of worry in his eyes. Riku felt the air grow cold around them.

"Yeah, she was wearing a really deep read lipstick— "

"That's Scarlet!" Sora bellowed out, his hands suddenly latching onto his head as he fought the memories away. "She was there, the needles, the injections, the man, I…"

Riku watched in horror as Sora began sputtering all sorts of different things at once, not one making sense to him. He held him closer, wondering what in heaven's name did he suffer. He could feel tears wanting to escape, but Sora was already crying enough for the two of them. His cries were muffled against his chest and Riku could only sniffle back the tears.

"It's okay Sora, it's okay, I'm here, don't worry," he whispered, massaging the back of Sora's neck. Riku hated himself. This was not was he expecting. When he suggested they talk, he was not expecting a full blown hysterical Sora crying in his arms. Perhaps it would have been better to simply forget about it, and concentrate on what was ahead. But it was to late and his heart felt like it was shredding itself up at the sound of Sora's whimpers.

"My god Sora, what did they do to you? What did Beatrix do?"

After what felt like an eternity the crying subsided and Sora lay limp in his arms. Sleep had found the brunet, his breathing now normal and rhythmic. Riku carefully pulled the covers aside with one hand and began placing Sora underneath. Realizing how tired he himself was, Riku shed his shirt and rested next to the slumbering brunet. He flicked the nearby light switch, bathing the room in darkness. Muffled sounds from the outside managed to penetrate their little sanctum, but Riku didn't care. Bringing an arm around Sora's waist and pulling him closer, Riku nestled his chin against the shorter boy's shoulder.

"Tomorrow…tomorrow I'll find out."

Before long both were sleeping soundly, unaware that hundreds of miles away, several people were thinking about them.

tbc

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I've been having a hard time writing lately. Don't have the time, or am too tired to write. Don't worry, it won't get abandoned, I haven't gotten this far to quit. Just…cope with me and the delays. Things will get a little more interesting, I'm just feeling rather…blah. But thanks to all that still read and review, you guys are really awesome. Next chapter Kairi, Selphie, and several other past characters make a reappearance. **


	17. Explanations

Disclaimer: I own the plot, but not the lovely characters.

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, hope this chapter provides you with a little more enjoyment. Several things are finally out in the open, let's see how our heroes react. **

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 17**

**Explanations**

Kairi let out a frustrated sigh as she fell back against her bed, knocking several stuffed animals over the edge in the process. Her gaze befell on the boring white ceiling, devoid of anything to grasp her immediate attention. She followed the lines in the paint down the wall opposite of the bed until her eyes fell on the pink clock settled right before her vanity. Taking a look at her reflection in the mirror of the vanity, Kairi got back up into a sitting position.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered, tossing blonde and red hair over her shoulder. Kairi, daughter of the mayor, was not someone that was left hanging and without plans. Every year her parents would take her to some exotic location, not that the islands weren't exotic enough with all the tropical trees and whatnot. But this year, this summer, her father decided it would be best to have a summer at home. Kairi could feel everything fall apart around her. She found herself looking at a photograph stationed by her bed of two friends currently on her mind. Kairi glared at them, wondering what they could be up to and wishing that she could have tagged along.

"Riku, Sora, you better have a good reason as to why you haven't called me," she said aloud, hoping that somehow her words would reach the duo off in the midst of Holly City.

"_You've got Seifer, and I bet you can figure out something to do."_

She scoffed, rolling her eyes at the memory of Riku's words during their time in the computer lab on finals day. "Oh yeah, we'll figure something to do."

Seifer hadn't called since late afternoon following her last final, something that she wasn't taking very well. She had made phone call after phone call, but the blonde college student was obviously preoccupied with something that wasn't her. It wasn't like him, not at all. Kairi could not remember the last time that someone had deliberately ignored her for more than a day. Taking one more look at the pink clock hanging on the wall, Kairi decided it was time to pay someone an overdue visit. She got up, slipped into her white flip-flops and was out the door with her Coach bag in hand.

"Don't be out to late," came her father's voice as she reached the first floor.

Kairi clicked her tongue, "Alright dad, I'll be back soon."

He didn't bother turning away from the large plasma screen T.V. as she exited through the front door, her yellow Porsche sitting nicely in the drive-up. Once she was situated inside the comfortable sports car, Kairi turned the ignition and was soon zooming down the street of her rather wealthy neighborhood.

"Let's see what he's up to."

X

Selphie squealed as she ran up the stairs to her room, a white envelope settled viciously in her two hands. After a long and tiring day at Zanarkand's it was a very welcoming surprise to find a letter addressed to her from none other than Irvine sitting in the mailbox. She flung the door open as she tumbled into bed, her fingers already opening the envelope. It had been only a few days since Irvine took off for the SeeD Reserves, but those few days were already some of the hardest that she had to go through. Her face lit up as her eyes scanned the somewhat sloppy writing, only to find herself moments away from tears as she neared the end. The once happy smile caressing her face was gone.

"Hun?"

Selphie whirled around to see Ellone standing in the hallway, a martini glass settled in her hand. She immediately noticed the glossiness in Selphie's eyes and walked forward. "What's wrong Selphie? Is getting a letter from your boyfriend that bad?"

The petite brunet threw the letter in Ellone's direction, one of the pages fluttering to the ground seconds after the first. She picked it up and skimmed through the writing, realizing now why it was that Selphie looked like she was about to cry.

"I'm so sorry dear, he has no idea what he's doing."

"Don't you think I know that?" She snapped, taking the letter back.

"Now that I'm here Selphie, I realized that things aren't going to work out how I originally thought. I don't think it's fair for you to wait for me and blah blah blah…"

Selphie slumped back on her bed as she crumpled the pages into a ball and let it slip out of her palm. "This definitely wasn't the way I was thinking of starting my summer. How could he do that? Break up with me through a letter?"

Ellone wasn't surprised to see the hurt in her daughter's eyes. She walked over to her bed, placing a hand on Selphie's back as she lay there with a pillow positioned in her arms. "It just comes to show that you're the stronger person here honey. If Irvine had the gall to break up with you it wouldn't have been done the way he did it."

Selphie remained quiet as a few tears escaped down her cheeks. After hearing her sniffles, Ellone figured it would be best to leave her alone for the night. Zanarkand's was incredibly busy that day and both were in need of a good night's rest. She placed a kiss atop Selphie's head, whispering a series of comforting words before she took off. Selphie was left hugging her pillow as silent sobs escaped her tiny frame.

_"I can't believe this. After all we went through this last year. How could he do this to me?"_

She looked down at her wrist, the bracelet Irvine had given her before he left no longer holding the same sentimental feeling as before. Glaring at it, Selphie removed the band and chucked it over her head, landing in some corner of the room. She didn't know if she had dozed off at some point, but the next time she glanced at the clock on her desk it was already past midnight. Selphie sat up and stretched her arms out, feeling her shoulders pop in the process. Dry tears stained her face and felt rather uncomfortable against her skin. She got up and headed for the bathroom just down the hall. Once she was finished washing her face up a bit, and combing the few cowlicks that managed to appear while she slept, Selphie felt a sudden urge to go out.

_"No, I can't, we have Zanarkand's to attend to in the morning."_

The brunet girl stared at her reflection, telling herself a couple hours out wouldn't be so bad. With little effort, Selphie was out the door with her mom's keys in hand. Ellone had fallen asleep in the living room and provided little worry for the petite girl. The air was rather warm, as was expected for a summer day. She got into Ellone's Lexus and after a minute or so, was driving away. Selphie glanced over at the house across the street, her eyes scanning Riku's dark and lifeless home.

"I wonder how things are going for them?"

X

Kairi walked into the apartment complex, her flip-flops clicking repeatedly as she marched on. Several flights of stairs later, the red haired girl was standing outside of Seifer's apartment. She glanced at her cell phone, realizing that it was a little past 10. Kairi didn't give a damn how late it was already, if Seifer was ignoring her then she was going to find out why. Taking a quick breath Kairi knocked on the door. The sound resonated noisily around her, making her chew on her bottom lip. Kairi waited for a few seconds, listening carefully for any sound behind the door. Nothing.

"Seifer," she whined. Kairi knocked once more, this time a little louder. It was faint at first but the familiar sound of footsteps could be heard. Within moments the door was flung open and Kairi was face to face with her college boyfriend. Seifer blinked a few times, realizing who it was he was looking at.

"Kairi? What are you doing here?"

The red haired girl glared at him, setting her hands at her hips. "What do you mean what am I doing here? I'm here to see you Seifer. Why haven't you called me these last few days?"

The blonde looked like had just gotten out of bed, then again, the messy hair and pajama pants were sign enough. "It's late Kairi, I'll give you a call tomorrow morning."

"No, you'll tell me why you've been ignoring me," Kairi demanded, the look in her eyes full of determination.

Seifer ran a hand through his hair. "I haven't been ignoring you, I've just been busy."

"With what then, I want to know."

"I'll tell you in the morning, I promise."

"Hun?"

Their conversation ceased at the sound of the foreign words. Kairi's eyes went wide, realizing how feminine the voice sounded. She looked past the blonde to see a woman with equally blonde hair. Kairi felt anger bubble up in her chest at the sight of the woman.

"Who the hell is _she_?" Kairi expressed, making sure to lace the last word with venomous intentions.

Seifer sighed, bringing his head down slightly. Kairi watched as the woman walked forward, stopping right next to Seifer. She then followed by placing a hand on his back, the act making Kairi's insides boil.

"Get your hands of my boyfriend!" she yelled as she felt a familiar stinging sensation in her eyes. The woman simply watched on in disbelief, wondering who this girl could be.

"Hun? Who is this young girl?"

Seifer looked at the two of them, giving Kairi a lopsided smile. "Kairi, meet my mother, Scarlet."

Kairi's mouth fell open as a wave of crimson washed over her face. She suddenly wished the earth would open up and swallow her. "Mother?"

"I'm Scarlet, nice to meet you," she expressed, smiling at Kairi. "I didn't know that Seifer had such a pretty girlfriend. He failed to mention that little fact."

"I'm-I'm really sorry, I didn't know," Kairi blabbered, her face still as red as a tomato. The warm air was getting hotter and Kairi wanted nothing more than to leave. "I'll go, I'm sorry for intruding. I'll be waiting for your call Seifer."

With that said Kairi took off, the clicking of her flip-flops dying as she ran down the stairs. She left a confused Seifer and Scarlet behind, with her simply smiling at her son.

"She seemed nice. Bit of an attitude though, but cute nonetheless."

"Sorry I didn't mention her. I just wanted your visit to be about us. I haven't seen you in a long time."

Scarlet kissed Seifer on the forehead. "I know hun, but there's no reason for you to not tell your friends about me. I came here to see you, but don't think that you can't hang out with your friends because of me."

They walked back inside, the door closing with a soft click. They parted ways down the hall, with Scarlet heading into the guestroom. Seifer bid her good night and soon both were back to bed. Kairi's little visit provided them with an interesting end to their day.

X

Kairi drove around aimlessly following her visit to Seifer's apartment. She still couldn't believe how immature she had acted, right in front of his mother of all people. But in her defense, how the hell was she supposed to know that his mother would be visiting. Kairi had the windows to her Porsche open, the warm winds of the islands drifting in. But in the end, she had gotten her answer as to why he was being distant with her. She found herself smiling, knowing that Seifer wasn't capable of ignoring her or doing something behind her back. Kairi tried to repress the entire event, hoping nothing like that would ever happen again. She glanced at the numbers on the dashboard, the neon green digits reading a bit past midnight.

"Have I been driving for over an hour now? So much for not being out to late."

She eventually stopped at one of the piers overlooking the ocean, the stars and moon providing sufficient light for her to make out the distinct shapes of the waves. Kairi didn't want to head home just yet, there really wasn't a whole lot waiting for her there.

"Looks like I'm not the only one that likes this spot."

Kairi whirled around to see the familiar face of a fellow classmate. Selphie Tilmitt stood there, giving Kairi a small smile. The two girls knew each other, having been in the same year since they were little, but weren't really friends. Unlike Kairi, Selphie wasn't the typical popular girl and she was perfectly fine with it. That was enough to keep them simply as classmates but nothing more.

"I kind of figured I would have the place to myself," Kairi said, directing the words towards the sea. "I had a rather bad night." She could hear a scoff coming from Selphie and she curiously turned in her direction.

"You think you had a rough night, imagine mine. At least your boyfriend didn't dump you through a letter."

Kairi's interest suddenly peaked, enjoying this sudden little piece of information. Her gossipy qualities were kicking in and she certainly didn't want to miss out on this.

"Oh? You mean that cowboy?"

Selphie narrowed her eyes. "His name's Irvine, but yeah, him."

"I thought you guys were rather cute together, can't imagine why he would break up with you."

"He apparently thought it wasn't fair for me to wait for him," Selphie said rolling her eyes. "Which I think is bunch of crap."

"You got that right," Kairi responded. "As an expert on this type of subject, "not fair for you" is guy code for "I found someone better and I don't want anything to do with you anymore."

Selphie shot Kairi a glare. "You don't know him."

"I don't need to Selphie dear, all guys are the same."

"And what about your boyfriend, does this little rule apply to him as well?"

The red haired girl giggled, "I see you've noticed him. Cute huh?"

Selphie felt her cheeks turn red. "It's kind of hard not to notice when he's hanging out at the academy with you all the time."

Kairi made some gesture with her hand, signaling that she was over their little conversation. "Well, it's been fun, but I guess I'll head home. Maybe I'll hear from Riku or Sora sometime soon."

The names caught Selphie's attention. "You heard anything from them?"

Kairi cocked her head at Selphie. "No, why do you care?"

It was Selphie's turn to return a smug smile. "And here I was thinking you and Riku were best friends. Tell me, how often have you been to his house?"

Kairi wasn't seeing the point in her question but replied anyways. "A lot, but why does that matter?"

"Do you know who lives right across the street from him?"

The red haired girl realized what it was Selphie was getting at. "Oh I see, you're telling me that you guys are neighbors."

"So it shouldn't surprise you if I know what he does and what's going on in his life."

Somehow, Selphie's knowledge of Riku's doings unnerved Kairi. She almost felt jealous, as if Riku's problems and dilemmas were only for her to know about. Kairi shrugged her shoulders, trying to appear normal despite harboring a sudden dislike for the smaller brunet girl.

"So you know what's going on with him and Sora then?" Kairi asked, just wanting to see how much she did in fact know. "Their whole little escapade to the capital and everything?"

Selphie flicked a hair away from her face. "More or less. Although, unlike you, I don't make it my life's mission to butt into other people's business."

Kairi tightened her grip on the Coach bag resting in her hand. "I wasn't the one asking if I had heard from them in the first place. Now, it's been fun Selphie, but I really have to head home. Sorry about your little cowboy, but you'll get over it."

The red haired girl walked past Selphie, her shoulder managing to bump into the smaller girl and causing her to stumble a step sideways. Selphie bit back a venomous retaliation, but figured she had already wasted enough of her time. She let out a sigh, realizing why it was that she hated girls like Kairi. Now alone, Selphie watched the waves crash against the shore, the winds picking up and caressing her face with the familiar scent of the paupu fruit. It was summer after all, so it wasn't a surprise for the air to smell of it. She remained there for a while longer, eventually retreating back to the safety of her mother's Lexus. Another busy day awaited her and Ellone the following morning, so sleep was definitely something she wasn't going to skip out on. For a few moments her thoughts dwindled on her two friends, hoping that Riku and Sora were doing well and sleeping soundly.

X

Riku awoke in an unfamiliar room. It took him several seconds to remember where it was he was in. He stretched out, his hands failing to find the body he distinctly fell asleep with the night before. The silver haired teen rubbed the grogginess out of his eyes as he searched the large bed for any sign of Sora. A feeling of despair filled him, only to diminish when he saw a figure sitting by the now open windows. A warm breeze drifted in, sending the curtains flowing and caressing Sora's face. Riku got up from the bed, his upper half devoid of clothing as he walked the short distance to the brunet boy. He brought his arms around the shorter teen, his lips pressing softly against the back of his head. Sora didn't move from within Riku's arms, he simply sat there looking blankly out the windows. Towering buildings and the roofs of houses were everywhere, as well as the sounds of cars and people on the busy streets below. They remained in the same position for several minutes until Sora turned his head slowly to the side.

"I'm sorry," Sora whispered, bringing a hand up to Riku's cheek. "I'm sorry for scaring you like that last night."

Riku sighed. "It's okay Sora. I shouldn't have said anything in the first place."

He could feel Sora trying to get up from his chair and Riku released him from the embrace. Blue eyes stared at Riku, their depths no longer housing the same frightened look as before. "No, I'm glad you did. Despite the way I acted…I'm glad we started talking. There's so much I want to tell you, so much I wish I could understand."

"Don't force yourself to do something you don't want to," Riku replied, gripping Sora's shoulder gingerly.

Sora took Riku's hand and kissed it. "I need to. I need to tell you everything."

"If it's what you want," Riku said taking Sora by the hand and walking back into the sanctuary of their bed. Once situated, Sora began his explanations, with Riku listening to every word.

"After I left the hospital, my mom took me back to a condo I had never seen before. She kept saying it was our home, my home. I don't know why, but I knew it wasn't true. A nurse by the name of Scarlet was hired to watch over me while I recovered, or that's what I remember her saying. At the time…I simply accepted whatever they said even though I felt like things weren't right. I still don't understand why she would say such things, why she would lie about our home. Why Scarlet…did the things she did."

Sora's words stopped but Riku didn't know whether to say anything or wait for him to continue. When Sora didn't say anything, Riku nudged him on. "What did she do?"

The brunet began rubbing his arm, as if he was trying to wipe something away. "She gave me these…injections. She told me they were medicine that would make me feel better, but I was scared. After that…all I remember is being asleep for a long time. When I woke up, my mom was there…with a man I had never seen before. They told me he was my father…"

Riku felt his heart beat faster. "Wha-what? But…Sora, your dad died when you were ten."

Sora looked up at Riku, his eyes gleaming with confusion. "I know that Riku, I know that more than anyone. But there he was, claiming to be my father even though I had never seen his face, never felt his touch."

The shorter boy began trembling, but when Riku tried to hold him he held an arm out. "He was beautiful…gentle and made me feel like what he was saying was true. The way he talked, it made things so believable it's scary. His name was even exotic sounding, something I had never heard before."

Once again Sora's words died into silence. His mind was working its gears in trying to figure out some reason for his mother's lies and stories. A reason as to why that man referred to him as "son". He shook his head, running a hand through his dark brown hair.

"It's okay, you can stop right there, I won't make this difficult for you. We can continue later when you're feeling better."

Sora smiled as he let his body rest against Riku's larger frame. He thanked the Faiths for having him there, for caring so deeply about him. "I promise to tell you the rest."

Riku kissed his forehead, "And I'll be here the entire time, listening. Now, why don't we go out and get us some new clothes. We kind of left without anything of ours."

Sora looked down at the clothes he was wearing, the white turtleneck and jeans he found within the box back in the strange condo. "That sounds like a good idea, I really need to take a shower afterwards."

After a half hour or so, both boys were walking out of the Radiant Garden Hotel and through the streets of Midgar. Like the capital of Destiny Islands, there were shops and restaurants at every corner. Sora felt his stomach rumble as they passed a bakery, reminding both of them that a bite to eat after their shopping would be a good idea. It didn't take them to long before they were both holding several bags as the early morning carried on. Sora almost wished that their friend Rikku could have been the salesgirl behind the register where they bought their new ensembles. When Sora's stomach growled loud enough to catch people's attention, Riku figured breakfast would do both of them some good.

"Sorry, the last thing I ate was a sandwich back in the capital," Sora whispered as Riku led them into a restaurant near their hotel. A pretty waitress led them to a table near a window and offered them a menu.

"Welcome to Ether's, ya'll can call me Ruby. I'll be your server for this mornin'. The specials are up on that board there and I'll be back in two secs to take your orders."

Breakfast came and went, with Sora polishing off more food than Riku thought possible. He didn't blame him though, both were rather hungry and the previous day didn't really give them the chance to eat. Ruby cleared their plates and left the tag, winking at Sora as she left their table.

"She thinks you're cute," Riku teased.

Sora grinned back, "Wouldn't be the first one to think so."

The silver haired teen gently slapped Sora's cheek, "Mr. Full of Himself."

Sora looked past Riku, his eyes landing suddenly on the sight of silver hair. He darted from his seat and was staring directly past Riku. The older boy got up and walked the few steps to Sora's side.

"What's wrong?"

"Silver hair."

Riku took a few strands of his hair and looked at it, wondering what Sora meant by it. "What about silver hair? Are you talking about mine?"

The brunet let out a sigh when the person with the silver hair looked in his direction, his face not of the man he was thinking of.

"Sora, what's going on?"

Sora looked into Riku's face, blinking a few times and bringing a hand to his forehead. "It's all part of what I still have to tell you. I promise, I'll explain it later."

Riku paid the bill and took Sora back to their hotel room. The first thing he did was head into the bathroom and play with the knobs to the shower until it burst into life.

"A shower should make you feel better, go on."

Sora walked in and began removing his clothes despite Riku's presence. It was then that Riku realized this was the first time he had ever seen Sora without clothes. When the last article of clothing fell to the floor the silver haired teen couldn't help but stare. The brunet turned to Riku, his face red and his hair appearing to be drooping.

"Can I ask you a favor?"

Riku nodded slowly, unsure what he could be wanting. He nodded, urging Sora to ask his question.

"Would you take a shower with me?"

It took Riku by surprise, causing him to go short of breath. His lungs wouldn't work correctly and he found himself letting out a cough. This was such an odd situation by his means. Riku had been with many other guys before and not once did he feel shy about it. But this was different and he was somewhat confused by his reactions. Perhaps…it was the fact that he loved Sora.

The room began warming up with the steam from the shower. The almost foggy atmosphere urged Riku onward and before long, he too stood naked in front of Sora. The shorter boy then inched forward and pressed his head against Riku's chest as his hands traveled up and over his shoulders.

"Thank you."

Riku ran a hand through Sora's hair, "Come on, let's get you clean."

X

Vincent couldn't get more than half of his breakfast down the following morning. He eyed the remnants of his scrambled eggs and pushed the plate away, which was immediately taken by one of the maids. She offered him a smile as she walked into the kitchen, leaving him to stew in his own thoughts. Yunalesca's call had left Vincent feeling utterly helpless. She wanted to speak with Riku, yet he couldn't do a thing about it. In all honesty he didn't know where else to look. Vincent ran a hand through his onyx hair, wondering how long he could keep this from Yunalesca. It made him feel rotten. He was responsible for Riku yet right now he was proving to be the worst person for the job. But he would be damned if he didn't try. Picking his coat off the chair, Vincent thanked the maid and headed out the door.

The streets were busy, yet again. Vincent roamed through the crowds, not expecting to find a head of silver hair anywhere. He simply walked around, forgetting the time as he ventured into the city. Vincent didn't know how long he was absentmindedly walking until he bumped into someone, bringing him back into reality.

"I apologize, I'm not watching where I'm going."

"It's okay, I'm sure…Vincent?"

He found himself staring at a spiky blonde haired boy with a somewhat annoyed looking redhead at his side. It took Vincent a few moments to realize who it was he was staring at.

"Roxas, am I correct?"

The blonde smiled at him. "Yeah, we met at the cemetery. I was taking my brother Denzel and his friend Marlene to visit Ms. Aerith's grave."

"Cemetery?"

They looked in Axel's direction. "What the hell were you doing there?" Axel asked folding his arms and shooting Vincent a glare. "Who's this guy anyways?"

Vincent could feel the hostility emanating on Axel's part, but being the mature adult felt it wasn't appropriate to respond with something negative. "My name is Vincent Valentine, I met Roxas and his brother at a cemetery in the northern island of the city. I was paying a visit to a close friend of mine."

Axel bit his bottom lip, still eyeing Vincent suspiciously. Roxas nudged him in the side. "Knock it off Mr. Jealousy, he's a good guy."

Vincent smiled at Roxas. "So how are Denzel and Marlene doing? Are they enjoying their time off from school?"

Roxas nodded, "Yeah, they're doing well. He's hanging out at home playing video games with Marlene. They've actually asked if we could visit Ms. Aerith's grave again sometime."

"I think she would appreciate that. Well, Roxas, it's really good to run into you again, but I must be going. I've got some important business to attend to."

The luster in Vincent's face suddenly diminished and Roxas could tell something was bothering the older man. "Oh, well, it's nice seeing you too. I'll let the kids know I ran into you."

The raven-haired man bid them goodbye, only to be stopped when Axel placed a hang on his shoulder. "Wait, you said your name was Vincent, right?"

He wasn't sure what Axel was getting at but answered nonetheless. "Yes, is there something I can do for you?"

Axel turned to Roxas, "Babe, didn't Riku mention his name once while at the club, I swear he did."

Both Roxas and Vincent stared at each other with wide eyes.

"You know Riku?" both said at the same time. Vincent shook his head. "Wait, do you know someone by the name of Riku?"

Roxas and Axel looked at one another. "Yeah, he's my best friend's boyfriend. We were all hanging out at Club Fire the night Sora had his accident."

Vincent felt like he had finally hit something, something leading him in the right direction. "Boys, do you know where Riku might be, he's been missing since yesterday. I've been looking for him but I can't seem to find him anywhere."

The color in Roxas' face paled slightly. "We've been trying to find him and Sora as well. The last time I heard from Riku he was frantic about something."

The older man could feel his breathing increase as the seconds ticked on. "I need your help Roxas, I think Riku and your friend Sora could be in some kind of trouble."

It was Axel's turn to speak. "Would you happen to know of a woman named Beatrix?"

Vincent was not prepared for what he was about to find out.

X

It seemed that lying in bed was becoming a favorite pastime for the two boys now clean and dressed in a set of new clothes. Riku had his back against the headboard, with Sora resting against his chest. The brunet ran a few fingers down Riku's legs, watching the way the fabric of his new jeans would sink underneath their weight. The scent of vanilla was heavy, having washed their hair with honey-vanilla shampoo. Riku loved, he was the one that insisted that they buy it when they were visiting one of the shops.

"I hope it wasn't to uncomfortable for you to share a shower with me," Sora said as a small blush played across his face. "I guess I was being a little selfish there."

Riku nestled his chin against Sora's hair. "Not at all, I liked it. I hope I wasn't to rough when I was washing around your bruises."

Sora placed a hand around his stomach area, remembering that he still had bruising from where the car had hit him. A bright light filled his vision as he replayed the memory only to have it go dark. "I still can't believe what you told me."

The older boy glanced through the open window, "I can't either."

Riku could feel his insides toss and turn as he thought about what his father had revealed to him a couple nights before. He didn't know how he was going to tell Sora. There was no easy way for him to tell him that they were sharing half-sibling. It disgusted him completely, made him feel so utterly sick to think about it. Taking in a deep, and much needed breath, Riku spoke.

"Sora…there's something you should know."

It was Sora's turn to listen. He simply pressed his back a little more against Riku, letting him know it was okay for him to continue.

"Baralai came to the capital a few days ago, he needed to talk to me about something really important."

Sora turned his head slightly, still listening to everything Riku was saying.

"I found out that Beatrix had lied to you when she said she needed to head to Holly City because of your grandmother. Roxas told me that she was doing fine, that nothing seemed wrong with her. I was upset, wondering why she would make up such a lie to leave you. I figured Baralai would know something about it, and he insisted on coming to the city to talk to me about it."

Sora gripped the fabric of his shirt a little roughly. "That doesn't make any sense. She told me Brahne had suffered a heart attack…why would she lie about that?"

"Why would she try and make you think you were home when she took you back to the condo?" Riku asked. "That makes no sense either."

Sora remained quiet, realizing it was true. "Go on."

The silver haired boy cleared his throat. "I went out to see Baralai the night he arrived, hoping that I would get an answer regarding what I had asked. But…what I found out was something I was never expecting to hear."

Sora turned around, his blue eyes waiting for whatever it was Riku needed to say. Riku bit back the revolting feeling in his mouth. "It seems that Baralai and your mother…well…they're expecting a child."

He blinked, hoping what he heard was simply a joke. "You're kidding me."

Riku shook his head, "My god I wish I was kidding."

"Then it all makes sense. It all makes sense as to why she left me alone."

It finally clicked and Riku suddenly felt a more powerful hatred for both of their parents.

"To think they would go to such lengths to keep this from the both of us."

Sora wiped away a tear, "Does your mom know?"

Riku let out a stifled laugh. "Hell no, she can't find out, it would crush her. I made sure to let Baralai know that I wanted nothing to do with him ever again."

"I almost feel bad for your father."

The sentence blew Riku away. "What are you talking about? Why the hell would you say something like that?"

Sora kissed Riku, bringing a hand up against his cheek. "Remember when I said there was a man, a man calling himself my father?"

Riku nodded, "Yeah?"

"Well, think about it Riku, why would she be with this other man if she was apparently with your dad? It…seems that she's not being honest with not just us but with Baralai."

Riku was surprised, to think that Sora could feel any kind of pity regarding Baralai. No matter how he looked at it, he was still at fault for what happened. "It doesn't change the fact that you and I have a half brother or sister now."

"No it doesn't, you're right."

Sora nestled himself against Riku once more, "My mother is playing two men, your father and this Sephiroth. My god when is this- "

"Sephiroth?" Riku interrupted, his face paling by the second. "How do you know Sephiroth?"

Sora blinked, "He was the man I was trying to tell you about. He was the one calling himself my father, but how do you know him?"

"Sora, I think things just got more complicated than I thought."

tbc

**A/N: Well, seems like things are finally out in the open. Beatrix is slowly being found out as a lying, cheating, evil person. I hope you enjoyed Kairi and Selphie's little parts, I felt they kind of added a nice little something extra. Thanks again for reading, next chapter Vincent confronts Sephiroth regarding Aerith's mysterious death.**


	18. Dinner Dates

**Disclaimer: I own the plot, but not the characters, so sad.**

**A/N: Many thanks for the reviews, and sorry for the wait. This chapter is definitely one of my favorites and was very exciting to write. I can safely say that the end is near, it might be only a few more chapters. Thanks for sticking with me this far, I hope you enjoy this.**

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 18**

**Dinner Dates**

Cid had no idea what energy he was working on, but he felt like he could drop dead at any moment. He looked at a wrinkled sheet of paper, his sloppy writing slanting every which way on the surface. A series of red check marks dotted the paper, each one next to the name of an airport or pilot he had spoken with from every corner of the city. Cid yawned loudly as he walked, the people on the streets raising their noses as if he was some lower life form not worthy of walking among them. But he didn't care. Cid was a bit to preoccupied with a task he was currently failing. It was already early afternoon and despite not getting a wink of sleep, Sora's whereabouts were still shrouded.

"Goddamn kid, where the hell did ya run off to?" He muttered as he searched through his shirt pocket for the familiar box of cigarettes usually sitting there. When his fingers touched nothing but the fabric of his shirt he cursed loudly, remembering that he never bothered buying a new pack the night before. The effects of the alcohol were long gone, although he was still feeling a bit of a dull pain in between his eyes. He took a look at his watch and decided to take a more than necessary break. Crumpling the piece of paper back in his pocket, Cid walked the short distance to a popular café everyone knew as "Wedge." He walked in and seated himself at the very front, resting his arms on the glossy wooden counter. A pretty girl asked if she could get him started with something and Cid ordered a steaming cup of black coffee. No sugar, no cream, just black. She poured the brew into a cup and brought it to him, giving him a smile once she was done. He spent a while sipping his coffee and staring out the window, wishing more than ever that a familiar brown haired boy could walk down the street. He chuckled though, realizing that the Faiths weren't going to make it that easy for him. Cid still wasn't a 100 sure why his former best friend's son would take off without a word. He didn't trust Beatrix as far as he could throw her and little part of him was saying that something was wrong with the entire situation.

_"He seemed happy when I saw him. My little tyke wouldn' go runnin' off like that."_

"Welcome back sir, will you be having the usual?"

Cid's ears perked up at the sound of the waitress' words and turned towards the person she had addressed. Wearing an expensive looking navy blue suit and Gucci shoes, Cid grunted inwardly at the sight of the rich man. But upon closer inspection, and despite all the lavish things he was wearing, the look on his face was far from delighted. His amber colored eyes were red, as if he had been crying for hours on end. Now Cid had been drunk way to many times to count or fit into a calculator so he knew of bloodshot eyes, but this man looked absolutely pathetic. He was expecting a turn of the nose when the man looked at him, but was surprised when he smiled.

"Mind if I take the seat next to you?"

Cid blinked a few times. "Er, sure, go right ahead. I ain't waiting for anyone."

He seated himself and the waitress brought him a cup of coffee, and just like Cid's, black. The blonde pilot watched him out of the corner of his eye, studying his face, memorizing the silver color of his hair with curiosity.

"Er," Cid began, "What's a fella like you doing looking so down?"

The silver haired man shifted in his seat, "Excuse me?"

Cid didn't regret asking. "Well, look at ya. Dressed in some expensive suit, more than likely got yourself a nice car outside, if I were ya I'd be all smiles if I had half the things you did."

There was a small pause before the man gave a laugh. Cid raised an eyebrow, trying to remember if he had said anything comical. "Mind fillin' this old fart in on what's so funny?"

"I always thought that material things, money, cars, all that were the best things that brought me the greatest sense of joy. I have a great job, I'm financially set for life, but I'm missing something very important."

"And what would that be? I can only assume whatever's missin' is what's making ya all red in the eyes."

"My family."

Cid played with the coffee cup in his hand. "I see now. Sorry for intruding in on ya, couldn't help myself."

The silver haired man shook a hand at him, "It's fine, I would ask if I were to see someone as pathetic as myself."

_"Took the words right out of my mouth."_

"I've lost the two most important people in my life. I messed everything up and now I don't think I'll ever be able to salvage my relationships."

The blonde scratched the tip of his nose, "It's never to late to give it a try. Take me for instance. I hadn't seen my best friend's kid in over 6 years, thought he would want nothing to do with me, but I was so wrong. I don't think I could figure out who was happier, me or the damn kid."

"But you didn't cheat on your wife."

Cid let out a whistle, realizing he had been beat. "Okay, now things are making more sense. That's a completely different story bud. The little lady wouldn't take kindly to seeing her man with another woman."

"Nor would my son."

"I'm Cid by the way," the blonde said offering his hand. "Thought I should introduce myself before this conversation of ours gets carried away."

"Baralai," the man replied shaking Cid's hand rather limply. "I've noticed you have a bit of an accent, I take it you're not from around here?"

It was Cid's turn to laugh. "Oh boy, naw, I've been living here for the past 16 years or so. I actually grew up in the country of Midgar, but moved here ages ago."

"I see. I apologize for the comment."

Cid chuckled lightly, "Don't worry about it bud, I bet you've had to do your fair share of apologizin' already."

Baralai lowered his head over the cup of coffee before him, the rising steam hitting his face. "I did, but I don't have a chance to make things right. My son doesn't want anything to do with me anymore, let alone my former wife."

The blonde downed the remaining coffee and let out a relieved sigh. "Wish I could say somethin' to cheer ya up, but I've got my own worries to tend to."

Baralai shook his head, "I wasn't expecting anything from you. Thanks for listening to this pathetic man though."

Cid left his munny on the counter and winked at the waitress. "Take care man, if I run into ya again, I'll buy us a drink."

Baralai smiled weakly at Cid before he disappeared from the café. Once the blonde pilot was back on the streets he decided to buy himself a new pack of cigarettes. It wasn't long before he was walking out of a liquor store with a lit cigarette in his mouth. He brought out the crumpled piece of paper and tried to smooth it out. There was but one name left on his messy list, one he had deliberately avoided during his entire search. But after checking out every other place and having no luck, Cid felt he didn't really have a choice whether he did or not wanted to go. Taking one last puff of his cigarette before tossing it over his shoulder, Cid got into a taxicab he managed to hail over.

"Where can I take you?" the pretty blonde woman asked.

"Celsius Air Station, and make it quick."

X

Roxas' attention was momentarily diverted as he watched a blonde man leave the café. A series of empty coffee and teacups littered the table in front of him, with Axel sitting to his right, and Vincent Valentine across from him. All three individuals held confused, even scared looks on their faces. But nobody was more worried over the matter than Vincent himself. Assistant to one of the most influential designers in the world, Vincent couldn't get the idea that Sephiroth could be capable of something so horrible, so grotesque. Even his already pale skin seemed whiter.

"So now what do we do?" Roxas finally said, breaking their little silence.

Axel laced his fingers with the blonde's, immediately giving it a squeeze. Roxas looked to Axel and smiled weakly, his usually radiating blue eyes currently lacking that sparkle.

"You do nothing."

The two boys looked in Vincent's direction. It was easy to read the discomfort in his face; there was no point in him trying to hide it. Instead of scowling or giving him a dirty look, Axel nodded, the act surprising the shorter boy.

"What do you mean we do nothing? You can't expect me to sit here and just leave things as they are," the blonde said, digging his nails into the table's surface.

"Roxas, babe, Vincent's got a point. If…if what he is telling us on his part is true, then it would be better if you and me stay out of it. I don't want us getting involved if the outcome is seeing you get hurt."

"Don't give me that Axel," Roxas scowled ripping his hand away. "You know how much Sora means to me, I can't sit around and do nothing."

Axel brought his face slightly closer, "And did you ever give a thought as to how I feel? Did you think of what it would do to me if you got hurt?"

The sudden harshness in Roxas' face died. "I…I know Axel…"

"Both of you will go about your normal day, as if nothing has happened. You will stay alert in case you hear from Sora or Riku, and that's all. Don't go looking for them, don't go talking to his mother, nothing. I've got to handle this on my own."

They nodded slowly following Vincent's words. "Are you going to let Yunalesca know of this?" Roxas asked as he zipped his jacket up to his neck.

The raven-haired man clicked his tongue. "I should, it's the right thing to do, but I won't. The poor woman has already had to deal with so much. Knowing that the man she dated for the last couple months is responsible for something as serious as what I told you and being involved Beatrix will be to much for her. And that's not mentioning Riku's disappearance."

The two boys took out their wallets to pay for their part of the bill, but were stopped when Vincent placed a handful of munny on the table. "I've got it. You boys take care, and please let me know if you hear anything."

Roxas and Axel thanked the older man and began walking towards the door. The blonde eyed the silver haired man sitting by the counter, not giving it much thought as Axel held the door open for him. Together they walked out, leaving Vincent alone in one of the corners of the café.

_"This is to much."_

He sat back, letting his head rest over the edge of the chair as he looked at the multicolored ceiling.

_"It all makes perfect sense."_

Vincent placed a hand over his eyes, allowing the darkness to consume his vision.

_"His sudden visit to the capital, his sudden interest in finding Riku, everything. Aerith…it was his fault that Aerith died. No… she didn't simply die. She was murdered. Sephiroth…how could you do something like this? How could you get involved with that…that horrible woman? How could you play with Yunalesca's feelings, how could you do any of this?"_

He removed his hand and gave a heavy sigh, one laced with worry, anger, exhaustion, but more than anything, determination. All his suspicions were correct. Everything was as he had thought. His insides were boiling. Anger seemed to seep from every pore in his body. Grabbing his black jacket off the back of the chair and getting to his feet, Vincent was soon out the door and walking briskly in the direction of the condo. The giant building was easy to detect from where he was, it wouldn't be long before he would arrive. Sephiroth wouldn't be home, but he needed some time to think, figure out what he needed to do. One thing was for sure though. There was no way in hell he was going to let Sephiroth get away with it.

X

Cid paid the taxi driver and she was soon on her way, leaving him standing at the entrance of a giant plane hanger with a large neon sign reading "Celsius Air Station." He breathed in deeply, noticing that his hands were shaking slightly for some odd reason. But Cid knew why he was shaking. There really wasn't a mystery behind it. He entered the hanger, the cavernous metallic hull open at the very end where the airplanes were more thank likely coming in and out of. Cid felt his lungs constrict at the sight of a ship he had seen only once before, back when all it consisted of were lines on a piece of paper. The majestic Celsius was right in front of him and never once had he felt so nervous as he was now.

"Well I'll be goddamned," he muttered, immediately lighting up another cigarette. That was another little habit of his, smoking through unnerving situations.

"Excuse me, but no smoking allowed."

Cid turned around to see a fellow blonde haired man covered in piercings and tattoos. He narrowed his eyes at the man before letting the lit cigarette fall to the floor and smothering it with his boot. "Sorry partner, habits are hard to get over."

"Fryd tu oui fyhd? Why are you here?"

"Easy there, I mean no harm, just taking a look around."

"If you have no business here, then leave."

Cid was beginning to take a dislike to the man, but tried his hardest not to retaliate in any nasty way. "Look bud, I just came by cause I was hopin' ya could help me out with something."

"What is your name?"

The older of the two blondes held his hand out, "The name's Cid, pleased to meet ya…"

"Brother."

Cid was left with his hand resting in midair for a few seconds before returning it back to his side. "Er, okay, nice to meet ya Brother."

"If you are wanting ride, I am sorry but we are closed."

The older pilot couldn't help but give a laugh, "Oh hell no, I don't need a ride. I got myself a mighty nice plane, The Highwind."

At the mention of Cid's ship Brother's face immediately lightened up. "You are joking, you own the Highwind?"

Cid couldn't help but smile smugly, "Yep, she's my baby, keep her nice and clean for any emergency."

"Broooother,"

They turned to see a short blonde girl, her mouth wide open as she let out a yawn. "What's all the noise for? Are you bothering this poor man?"

Cid chuckled, "Well who might you be little lady?"

The girl smiled coyly, "I'm Rikku, this lug's younger sister. He isn't being a meanie is he?"

He laughed once more, "Oh no, we're having ourselves a nice conversation over our planes."

"Rikku, he is pilot of Highwind, this is sooo exciting!"

Rikku smiled at her older brother, "Well I can see why you're all smiles." She turned to Cid. "So, is there something you're looking for in particular? Brother has a hard time with his English so if you need me to translate then I'm right for the job. But I gotta get going soon, I have to close Al Bhed tonight."

The light and comical moments were over as Cid's face turned quite serious, so much in fact that Rikku felt a shudder run up her spine. "I've been up since last night, searchin' for someone."

Rikku looked over to Brother. "Oh, uh, really? But why come here? We haven't seen anyone new around these parts."

"I've searched this entire damn city, every frickin' airport, visited every pilot I know, not one knows of my tyke."

Brother began to whistle, something so incredibly out of place. Rikku nudged him in the ribs, earning her several mutters in their strange language. Cid watched their little interaction for a few seconds. "Did I miss something?"

Rikku smiled at Cid, "Oh nothing, he's just being an idiot. But uh, yeah, sorry to disappoint you, but we haven't seen anyone around here. We'll keep an eye out, what's the person's name?"

"Sora," Cid informed them, arching an eyebrow when the name caused Rikku's eyes to suddenly grow. "He's about this tall, brown spiky hair, blue eyes…anything ringing a bell?"

"Nope," Rikku replied, her elbow digging into Brother's side before he had a chance to spill their little secret. He snarled at Rikku as he retreated back with one hand massaging his side.

"Dryd rind!"

"You'll get over it," she responded waiving a hand at him.

Cid was lost. "Okay, er, well, if you would be kind enough to keep an eye out for him I'd appreciate it. I just hope Laguna doesn't send something after me for not finding him."

"He knows Laguna Rikku!" Brother bellowed out, pushing her aside. "You know Laguna, then you know young Sora!"

The blonde Al Bhed girl let out a sigh, "Crap."

Cid looked from a smiling Brother to a somewhat worried looking Rikku. "Okay, excuse my language, but what the fuck is going on here?"

X

Riku was becoming accustomed to Sora's need for sleep. He no longer worried when Sora dozed off. Being the loving boyfriend that he was, Riku would make sure the brunet was comfortable as he slept through whatever exhaustion he was going through. As Riku watched him, following a conversation that dove into what could only be explained as a series of confusing webs, the older teen couldn't help but feel like they were being tested. He was only 17 years old, Sora a year younger, yet both have gone through things most people only hear about or watch in ludicrous television shows. Riku frowned inwardly.

_"It's like the Faiths are purposely making this hard on us. What have I done wrong? What has Sora done wrong? Why are things so confusing?"_

Riku had never met Sephiroth, the man his mother had been seeing for two or so months back home. But by the way she talked about him he could only assume he was a very kind and sophisticated man. She trusted Sephiroth, therefore he put his trust in him as well. Riku felt a desire to laugh.

_"To think that such a perfect sounding man could be involved with that bitch."_

Riku was furious. Beatrix, otherwise known to the silver haired teen as "that bitch", was responsible for his parents' divorce. He held such disgust against his father, hatred he now was beginning to rethink. Not once did Riku think he could forgive Baralai for the pregnancy that should have been avoided, although…

_"I almost feel bad for your father."_

He recalled Sora's words. Only a few hours ago he was asking the brunet boy why he would say such a thing. But now, as he sat by the open windows overlooking the city streets below, Riku could begin to understand. Baralai, he concluded, was simply a victim. They were all victims of a conniving, sick woman. Neither Riku nor Sora had any idea regarding Beatrix' motives, her reasons as to why she was involved with two different men. Better yet, why she created such an elaborate string of lies. There was so much he didn't understand, but he was sure of one thing though.

"We'll figure this out together," Riku whispered, his aqua-colored eyes watching the rhythmic movement of Sora's chest. A small blush played across his face when he heard the distinct growling of his stomach. He smiled; remembering their visit to Ether's and watching Sora polish off a mountain of food. Taking a look at the hanging clock above their bed, Riku figured it wouldn't hurt to grab something to eat before Sora woke up. Just a little something to tie him down until they could both go out for dinner. Riku quickly threw on a black sweater and kissed Sora on the forehead before he headed out the door. Turning the knob to see that it was in fact locked, Riku then began his trek down the hall, into the elevator, and out the lobby doors.

"I shouldn't be to long, I'm not going to far," he said to himself. Riku placed both hands into the pockets of his new jeans, or better yet, a set of jeans his mother designed. He was honestly surprised when he found them in the boutique he and Sora had visited earlier that day. His mother must have some friends in high places to get her things this far out. That's when he immediately thought of Sephiroth and wished he hadn't put any thought into it. Shrugging, Riku ventured on, eventually stopping at a coffee shop full of people around his own age. Dressed in expensive looking clothes, and towing an assortment of Louis Vuitton and Prada bags, Riku was in the midst of a very familiar feeling group.

_"It's like being back home."_

He walked in, making sure not to bump into anyone as he maneuvered through the somewhat crowded area. Riku could feel the stares digging into the back of his head, and once again, he was feeling right at home.

_"God, it's like being back at school."_

He could hear the whispers around him, eager looking girls with way too much make up, and even the occasional boy raising an eyebrow. Riku ignored it all; none of them mattered or interested him in the very least. He knew he had someone a million times better back in his room, sleeping soundly as he stood there. The teen ordered an iced latte and patiently waited for his order to come up. But as he lingered people began gathering towards the front and he could have sworn he heard girls squeal. They parted like the Red Sea, allowing a girl no older than Riku to walk forward. He had seen her before, her face looked vaguely familiar. She walked up and past him, her multicolored eyes tracing his face for a few seconds.

"I can't believe it, it's Yuna!" someone squealed.

And that's when it hit him. Yuna was the winner of last year's Destiny Island Idol. He rolled his eyes, immediately wanting to leave before things got out of hand inside the coffee shop. He heard his number being called up and walked right up to Yuna, reached past her and took his latte. She smiled at him, but Riku didn't return the gesture. The girl looked at him like he had committed a sin and let her mouth drop slightly. Everyone around him seemed to think the same thing. Riku threw on a bored expression and walked back out into the streets, with a line of eyes watching him leave.

_"Sora's going to piss himself when I tell him I snubbed a celebrity."_

It was so terribly random Riku couldn't help but laugh. For a few precious moments he could laugh and act lighthearted. Thinking that Sora could be awake and trying to figure out where he went, Riku decided to head back. He sipped at his latte, enjoying his newly created memory.

X

Cid knew something was odd since the very beginning. For Beatrix to call suddenly out of thin air asking for his help, he was skeptical from the start. Rikku and Brother were inside their office, with Cid sitting in one of the chairs opposite of them. They had offered him some coffee, but he was far from thirsty.

"I don't know much else about this woman except she moved into our condo building a while ago. Riku and Sora were desperate to get away from her. I could see it in Riku's face, he was worried about something," Rikku added, her feet dangling from the chair.

"They looked like good boys," Brother commented, he being the one to stay quiet as his younger sister told their story.

"I don't doubt that," Cid said, his hands placed on his knees. "But I'm a lot more interested in what she could have frickin' done to my Sora. I'm just glad he found himself a carin' guy to watch out for him."

Rikku felt a blush creep up, "Yeah, they really seemed to care for one another. So, you really knew Laguna?"

Cid nodded, "Yeah, grew up with him in Midgar. Went to the same schools, flight school, was best man at his first wedding-"

Rikku nearly fell off her chair. "First wedding? You mean Laguna was married more than once?"

Brother was all ears, intent on listening to every little detail about his idol Laguna. Cid's already grim looking face seemed to sadden even more if it her possible. The two Al Bhed siblings glanced at one another, curious as to why their newest acquaintance suddenly seemed so sad.

"It's not something I talk about, I keep it pretty hushed up. This was before he made all them billions, before he was well known."

Rikku was blown away, she along with Brother knew all about Laguna, Sora's father, but not of a first marriage. She then had a very important question to ask. Nervously, afraid of what Cid's answer could be, Rikku went ahead.

"Cid…then…what about Sora's mother? If Laguna was married once before, then does that mean that Beatrix-"

The aging blonde nodded slowly and Rikku's eyes doubled. "Yep, Beatrix is Laguna's second wife, and Sora's step-mother."

Brother's jaw fell to the floor and Riku went short of breath. "Holy crap! But does Sora know?"

"No," Cid firmly declared, his eyes narrowing. "His mother died right after she gave birth to the little guy. Laguna was totally floored; he loved his wife more than anythin'. He didn't want his son growing up without a mother, so not long after her death, Laguna remarried. I was away at the time of their wedding, so I wasn't able to go."

"But why her?" Rikku commented, the shock still set in her system.

Cid heaved a dry chuckle. "Damn good question, but I ain't got an answer. I never liked her don't think I'll start anytime soon. Not with all that's going on right now."

A ringing befell the office and Brother quickly dug into his pocket, retrieving a cell phone and walking out the door. "Sorry, I'll return soon."

"So what are you planning on doing?" Rikku asked once Brother was away.

"I'm gonna do what I was asked to do, find him. But there's no way in hell I'm gonna go letting Beatrix know of any of this, don't know what she would do. Once I find him and that boyfriend of his in Midgar I'll bring 'em back and we'll figure out what to do from there."

"Just don't let them know we told you," Rikku said, her fingers nervously twiddling with one another. "I don't want them thinking that I ratted them out, even if Sora does trust you."

Cid patted the top of Rikku's head, "Don't you worry little lady this old man can keep a secret. But what I told you, keep it to yourselves, don't want the press or nothin' finding out."

The green-eyed girl gave him a toothy grin, "You can count on me, although I might have to threaten Brother to keep quiet, he's a bit of a blabber mouth."

"You better," Cid added as he got to his feet. "But I think I've overstayed my welcome. I have a long trip ahead of me, gotta get started."

"You're going to take off for Midgar already?"

"Yep, the sooner I leave, the more time I have to figure out how to kill Beatrix," he added with a wink.

Rikku giggled, "I'll walk you out."

And so they walked back out of the cavernous hanger and into the afternoon streets. Rikku hesitated before giving Cid a hug, something the older man wasn't expecting. "Er, I have one more question if you don't mind."

"Shoot," the blonde said.

"What's the name of Sora's mother?"

He looked skyward, his eyes falling on the growing and darkening clouds. Cid pointed at them with a finger, Rikku following and arching her brow in puzzlement. "What? Don't tell me it's Sky?"

Cid let out a laugh, "No, it's Raine."

X

It took a little coaxing on Riku's part to get Sora out of bed, into the shower, and into a set of new clothes. They were busily chatting with one another as they walked through the moonlit streets, their hands intertwined. Despite the seriousness of their earlier conversations and revelations, both seemed completely fine. Of course they didn't know of what the other was going through in their mind, but from the outside appearance, they looked okay.

"Where are you taking me?" Sora asked with curiosity the farther they went into the city.

"I found a great restaurant, it looks pricey, but you're worth it."

The brunet boy stuck the tip of his tongue out at the taller teen, "You don't have to do this you know."

"I know, but I want to."

Riku was decked out in a simple white button up shirt and black slacks while Sora sported a graphic t-shirt, dark purple blazer, and ripped jeans. By the way people were looking at them, it was safe to say that they were looking rather good. The two walked for a couple more blocks until they were standing outside a restaurant by the name of "Burmecia." The hostess greeted them and they keenly followed after, the entire place heavy with the scents of different dishes.

"It definitely smells good," Sora said as Riku pulled his chair out for him. Riku smiled warmly at him and removed his blazer as well.

"Just don't get like you did this morning and eat like a pig, it was totally embarrassing," he teased, winking at the same time.

"I was hungry, what could I do?"

"Your waiter will be here shortly, may I get you started with something to drink?" The hostess asked.

"Water with lemon will be okay," Riku replied.

"You sure? Nothing stronger?"

They looked at one another, the act making the hostess laugh silently. "I see the two of you aren't from around here. The drinking age in Midgar is 16, so if you'd like, the bar is open for requests."

Riku bit his bottom lip, "Umm, that's okay, we'll be fine."

The hostess nodded and left. Sora glanced at Riku and kicked his foot underneath the table. The silver haired teen narrowed his eyes. "What was that for?"

"We're in a place where we can legally drink and you turn that chance down?" He asked with a pair of large, innocent blue eyes.

The expression on Riku's face dimmed. "If you remember correctly, the last time we went drinking…well, you know what happened."

Sora cast his gaze aside, "You're right…sorry."

Riku reached forward and took a hold of Sora's hand. "Hey, look at me." The brunet turned. "Yeah?"

"What did we agree on? No more apologizing to each other. Got it?"

Ignoring the stares that would follow after, Riku brought his lips to Sora's for a brief moment. As they pulled back their eyes traveled to the tall figure of their waiter. He coughed slightly.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but can I offer you a menu?"

"Certainly," Riku replied taking the folded menu in front of him. "So, what do you want Sora?"

X

Vincent ran a finger around the neck of his glass before he picked it up to his lips. He took a sip of the slightly sweet, slightly sour wine. Satisfied, the raven-haired man placed the glass back on the table.

"Is everything to your liking, sir?"

He turned to meet a waitress, her hair pulled back in a loose bun. "Yes, great choice of wine."

"Thank you," she replied, "Can I get you anything just yet?"

Vincent shook his head, "No thank you, I'm still waiting for my companion to arrive."

Bowing slightly, the waitress left and scurried off to her other duties. Vincent was left to stare into the flame burning atop the candle in the very center of the table. He watched the dancing wisp, moving every which way and eventually, wafting drastically to the side. He brought his eyes up and found what had caused the sudden disturbance in the flame's dance. Dressed in an extravagant silk black shirt and tight gray slacks was none other than one of the world's most famous designers, Sephiroth. Vincent felt a sudden urge to shoot up from his seat and bring both pale hands around his neck. But sadly, it was only a fantasy brewing in the recesses of Vincent's mind.

"Sephiroth, it's wonderful to see you again," he said getting to his feet.

"It's good to see you Vincent, I must apologize for my rudeness the other day, I had just returned to the city and I was terribly tired."

"No need to apologize Sephiroth," Vincent replied, his voice holding back on the bitterness he wanted to lace every word with. "This is a perfect opportunity to talk and see how things are going. I hope I didn't disturb any of your plans."

The slightly taller man seated himself, "What could be more important than seeing one of my dearest and closest friends?"

_"I can think of several things, one starts with a "B."_

"So how have things been at the condo? Any of the staff decided to leave? I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if they did without me around."

Vincent took a hold of the bottle of wine and poured a good amount into Sephiroth's empty glass. "They're all still there, although they have complained about things being rather slow. I guess they've remained because they're comfortable where they are. If you need me to let any of them go, then by all means let me know."

Sephiroth took a sip of his wine, "No, it's quite alright. But on a different subject, did Yunalesca enjoy her stay? I hope things went rather well."

Vincent nodded gently, "She loved it, both she and Riku seemed rather happy with their stay."

"Speaking of Riku, have you managed to hear anything from him?"

The raven-haired man didn't respond right away. "Sorry to disappoint you, but no I haven't. I have spent the last day searching for him, but no luck. I'm pretty sure he's just blowing off some steam with some friends here in the city or something. I'm sure he'll turn up, it's only a matter of time."

Vincent's words didn't seem to satisfy Sephiroth's question. "This isn't something to take lightly Vincent, I do not want Yunalesca thinking that we're incapable of taking care of a teenager."

"I assured her before she left that Riku would be well taken care of, I'm not about to go back on my word."

Sephiroth sipped from his wine, "Well, how noble of you to keep your promises. But that aside, how about we order dinner?"

They spent the next several minutes in silence as they skimmed the menu. Vincent wasn't paying any attention to the name of the dishes. He carefully studied Sephiroth from behind the black menu, wondering what he could be thinking.

_"He knows something's up, I can feel it."_

A churning feeling grew in Vincent's stomach, but suppressed it with a sip of his wine. Several more minutes later the waitress was back at their table and taking their order.

"Alright, thank you gentlemen, excellent choices."

A growing discomfort was building in the air and Vincent was finding it hard to breathe. He tucked a few strands of black hair behind his ear as he stared at the table. Sephiroth was looking up at him every so often, he could feel his icy blue eyes.

"Well, I must say this time I have had off has been very beneficial. I've got all this inspiration I can't wait to get back to my designs."

Vincent smiled weakly, "That's great to hear, I was beginning to get tired of answering phone calls from different magazines and journalists asking where you had gone off to."

"I hope you didn't give them some crazy and elaborate story," he chuckled.

Vincent found his chance and took it. "No crazy stories, just the truth. I told them you were off on some time alone, getting over Aerith's death."

Sephiroth's cheery face slackened. Vincent smiled inwardly, he had hit something and he wasn't going to stop. "I paid her a visit not to long ago, met some wonderful children that brought flowers to her grave. They told me that they talk to her, can you believe that?"

The raven-haired man was indulging in the way he was making Sephiroth uncomfortable. "Is that right Vincent? Then again, what can you expect from children?"

"You've got a point, but I couldn't disappoint them and make them feel like what they were saying was a bunch of rubbish. So, I asked them what she talked to them about"

Sephiroth ran a hand over his forehead. "Lovely story Vincent, but I would rather not talk about Aerith at the moment, I am still dealing with the entire situation."

Vincent felt his insides twist with anger. "We all are Sephiroth, I have to sleep every night knowing that my best friend is gone."

Sephiroth noticed the change in his tone. "Remember where we are, in public as you can see."

_"Fuck you," _Vincent thought, his nails digging into the tablecloth.

"That's right, I'm sorry Sephiroth, that was out of place. What I should have said is I have to sleep knowing that my best friend was _murdered_."

Vincent whispered the last word, dragging it out so Sephiroth was the only one able to hear. A flash of horror crossed the silver haired man's eyes before he lifted the glass of wine to his lips. Vincent realized it was to late to stop now and went with whatever was in his mind.

"Tell me Sephiroth, how did you do it? How did you manage to kill your own wife? Oh, that's right, you could have only done it with the help of that putrid woman Beatrix."

"Vincent, you are talking absolute nonsense, I will not be spoken to in this way. Now, if you are done I will take my leave."

Sephiroth made to get up but was stopped by a powerful grip on his wrist. "I don't think you heard my question, how _did_ you kill her? I'm curious Sephiroth, go on tell me."

His words were slightly louder and seemed to be attracting the attention of several other diners in the restaurant. "Vincent, you have gone absolutely mad. All this time alone has made you crazy."

"I'm not the one that killed my wife, you shouldn't be talking to me about going crazy. Come on Sephiroth, stop playing games and confess." Vincent inched closer "I will personally see to it that you and that conniving woman are put behind bars."

Sephiroth ripped his arm away from the powerful grip, his eyes trying to burn a hole in Vincent. "It's my word against yours, nobody will believe you."

And with that Sephiroth walked away briskly, the swishing of his long silver hair the last thing Vincent could see. He sighed heavily, knowing that things hadn't gone exactly as he had hoped.

"I swear to you Aerith, I will make sure they both pay."

tbc

**A/N: I snuck in a couple surprises in there didn't I? I hope you liked, let me know what you thought. Next chapter Cid reunites with Sora and the truth about his past is revealed to him.**


	19. The Web Expands

Disclaimer: I don't own the lovely characters, I have only molded them into what they are in this fanfic.

**A/N: As you are probably aware of, I created a new summary. I promise no more changes with it. I also mentioned in the author's notes of my previous chapter that Sora will be finding out about his past in this chapter, but…it didn't exactly go as I wanted it to. And I hope I didn't scare you guys with saying that I only had a few more chapters to go before it's over. You never know, it could be more, I could be totally wrong. SO, that asides, enjoy and thank you for the feedback.**

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 19**

**The Web Expands**

The night air was slightly warm as the two teens walked the streets of the city. Dinner had come and gone, with Sora behaving and not making a complete mess of himself in front of the rest of the diners. Riku held his hand gently as they walked and occasionally rubbed the inner part of the shorter boy's palm with his fingers. Talk was light, never going into anything deep as they eventually came across a park with a glowing fountain in the very center. A man and woman carved out of some exotic material created the center of the fountain, with the woman holding a jar where water poured out of profusely. It wasn't until they reached the fountain that Sora noticed they were made out of Gummi material.

"I don't remember this here," Sora said with curiosity. "Dad took me for long walks during our stay, but I don't think this fountain was built while I was here."

"I can see it's made out of the material your dad made his fortune on," Riku commented bringing a hand to swipe away at the annoying strand of silver dangling in front of his face.

They watched the flowing waters for a few moments, long enough to take in every little detail the artist had engraved into his creation. Riku led him through the park, their hands never leaving each other's grasp. Despite the wonderful dinner, and the long comforting walk, both teens were feeling the weight of serious matters heavily on their shoulders. But neither were ready to break their sanctuary as they simply moved on.

"Is that where you and Laguna stayed?" Riku asked pointing towards the tallest, and most intimidating building in the city. Sora followed and his gaze fell on the Shin-Ra Tower, the president of the nation most likely residing within its massive walls.

"Yeah, that's where we stayed. Rufus was in and out of the office with my dad, so I never really got to talk to him or anything.

"He doesn't have family or anything?"

Sora shrugged, "Not that I know of."

And so their little conversation once again ceased into silence. To their surprise the park wasn't horribly big and ended up circling the area at least three times before they decided to break off into a different part of the city. Pubs, diners, shops, everything was still open despite the fact that they were heading into the later hours of the night. Sora at one point stopped in front of a toy store, pressing his hands against the glass as his blue eyes watched the more than sleepy looking children pick out something to take home. For a brief moment a flash of sadness washed over him and he couldn't explain the feeling. Smiling mothers watched their children, looking at their watches from time to time and realizing how late it was. Riku wasn't blind to the frown caressing Sora's face and brought an arm around him.

"You okay?"

It was a rather difficult question for him to answer. Was he okay? He wasn't sure. Giving a sigh, he turned away from the window and continued walking.

"Mom never took me to the toy stores."

Riku wasn't sure where this was going, but he figured it was best to let Sora talk before he asked any more questions.

"Ever since I could remember, she never really seemed to care about me. Whenever I asked for something, she would either ignore me or tell me to go find dad. I would ask him why she seemed so distant, but he told me it was hard for her to show her love for me."

Riku licked the corner of his lips. "Did you believe him?"

The taller teen was met once again with silence. Sora seemed to be contemplating the question thoroughly, looking at it from every angle and trying to figure out how to word his explanation.

"He was my dad. How could I not believe my dad? I would smile at him, but behind my smiles I was still confused and somewhat alone. In all honesty Riku, I've felt like I never had a mother."

His cerulean eyes began to tremble with unshed tears. He curled his hands into fists before stuffing them into the pockets of his purple blazer. Riku didn't dare speak for fear of upsetting the brunet. Sora's words eventually found their way out so Riku didn't need to respond.

"My dad's designs were flawless. His blueprints were state of the art, everyone craved for his ships and boats. I stood on the sides, watching as his success and career continued to grow. He started spending less time with us as he spent time away from the capital and with more of his business associates. Then…around the time of my 10th birthday, one of his supposed flawless designs…ended up costing him his lfe."

Riku felt a lump form in his throat as Sora dove into his past. They had only known each other for a little over two months, yet they had become so close, gone through so many things that Sora had enough trust and faith in him to hear about such emotional and personal things. He wrapped an arm around the younger boy and brought him closer to his chest, allowing the warmth of his body to melt against his despite the already muggy atmosphere. Sora continued speaking through the crumbling, emotional walls.

"They…they were testing out a new series of jets he designed for the country of Dalmasca. Everything was set, the pilots were ready my dad was to be the first to take the new series into the skies. The president of Dalmasca was present at the site, giving his complete approval to see the great Laguna pilot a ship designed specifically for his nation."

Silent tears began trickling down Sora's cheeks and Riku was right there to wipe them away.

"He got buckled up, started the jet, made his last few comments to the press through his microphone and then he took off. My dad soared, flying higher than any other plane. That's…that's when everything went wrong."

Sora looked towards the night skies and couldn't stifle the sobs. "He lost control of the jet and it began tumbling towards the ground. The jet was so high up that when it impacted…nothing was left but ashes and dying flames."

Riku could feel his own eyes shaking as he heard Sora's story. He wasn't sure what to say. What could he say? There wasn't a damn thing to make his beloved Sora stop crying, and it was killing him to see him in pain. Not thinking clearly, Riku brought his lips to Sora's and pressed himself harshly against the shorter boy. Sora's back met a wall as he felt the heavier weight of Riku against him, his tongue passing by open lips and caressing his own. The tips of his brown spiky hair poked against Riku's forehead, creating an uncomfortable itch that wouldn't go away. But the silver haired boy couldn't care less as he held Sora in his arms, pushing every positive and loving particle of energy into his smaller form. Sora was the first to break away when his lungs prayed for air. Gasping silently, their noses touching, Riku breathed in Sora's scent.

"I…I hope that wasn't completely uncalled for," Riku said through short pauses.

Sora's tears were but dry stains against his cheeks at this point and his eyes no longer shed any tears. He looked into the opposite pair of eyes and smiled caringly.

"Never," he whispered.

"I just didn't want to see you cry, I acted on the first thing that came to mind," Riku added even though Sora seemed completely fine with the act.

A thought came to Sora's mind and he couldn't help but chuckle. "I can't imagine what you would have done if I were bawling."

Riku caught on to what the younger boy was saying and felt a blush swell up across his face. "I…I wouldn't mind if you didn't."

The chuckle ceased as Sora looked into his boyfriend's eyes. There wasn't a hint of sarcasm behind the comment, nor the slightest hint that he hadn't meant it. He looked away, staring at the gray colored ground, his head buzzing with a far off memory once muttered by an annoying blonde.

"_Riku uses people and then tosses them aside. I would stay away from him if I were you."_

As Tidus' words echoed in his mind, Sora realized the blonde must have been completely out of his mind to ever say such a thing. The Riku he met, the Riku he had shared everything so far with, was not that type of person. A hand was brought up to touch Riku's cheek, the fingers playing gently against his skin.

"I wouldn't either," Sora responded.

They kissed again, this time with an assortment of hands touching areas neither had dared touch before.

"Come on," Riku whispered through broken kisses, "let's head back."

Sora didn't have to argue.

X

An infuriated and horrified Sephiroth almost broke through the condominium door, surprising Beatrix who was just finishing up a glass of vodka. Startled, she got to her feet and tried to hide the now empty glass from Sephiroth's sight. Instead, he walked past her and to the bar near the hall entrance. Taking the open bottle of vodka right of the counter, Sephiroth took a long swig before coughing up half of what he drank. Apparently, he wasn't used to holding down hard alcohol.

"Hun, what's wrong, where did you go?" she asked setting the empty glass on the coffee table. She walked over to him, bringing a hand to pull his bangs away from his face. He shrugged her away, earning him an odd look from the shorter woman.

"What's going on?"

Sephiroth took another gulp of the hard liquor before turning a pair of icy blue eyes against his lover. Beatrix felt uncomfortable under his stare, as if they were trying to dig themselves into her very soul. "Hun, I don't like the way you're looking at me, will you tell me what the hell has you all worked up?"

Sephiroth's hand shot out and grasped Beatrix by the wrist. She closed an eye in immediate pain, wincing as the hand tightened.

"Stop it! Let go!" she barked.

"Answer me this, and you'd better not lie," Sephiroth said through gritted teeth. "When, and where, no, no, why the hell did you see Vincent?"

Beatrix froze and ceased her struggled. She looked at the piercing eyes in front of her and beads of sweat formed at her temples. "What are you talking about? I haven't seen that man in well over a year."

"Don't lie!" he yelled directly into her face. "Guess what I found out during dinner with my beloved assistant? Go on Beatrix, guess what I found out?"

"Is that where you went?"

"Don't change the subject!" he responded, using his free hand to run it through his hair. "My lovely Beatrix, it seems we have been found out."

The inside of her mouth seemed to dry up, like the deserts seas in Dalmasca. If half her face wasn't covered by brown hair, one could see the terror in both her eyes. He released her wrist as he walked into the living room. Beatrix couldn't move and remained where she was, the beginning of a bruise reddening her skin.

"How…how did he find out?" Beatrix finally asked, her voice shaky.

"That's what I'd like to know," the silver haired man responded. "And that is why I want you to tell me when did you see him."

"But I told you that I—"

"Stop lying!"

She quickly held back whatever it was she was going to say. When she reopened her mouth, she dared not give him anything short of what he wanted. "I saw him at St. Alexander's Hospital after Sora's accident."

Sephiroth shot her a devious grin, "You mean when you accidentally ran into him?"

She glared venomously at him, "That was uncalled for you bastard. But as I was saying, as I was leaving the hospital I ran into that Yunalesca woman. Apparently, unbeknownst to me, her putrid son was involved with mine. That's why he came to the capital. Being the servant that he is, Vincent was accompanying her."

"Did you talk to him at all?" He asked emphasizing every word.

"No I didn't, the only person I talked to…"

And her words cut off as the realization kicked in. "Scarlet."

Sephiroth arched his eyebrow at a dangerous angle, earning Beatrix another shiver up her spine. "Scarlet, as in…"

Before she knew it Sephiroth was once again in front of her with an angry face staring directly into her own. "What the fuck were you doing talking with her? I made it perfectly clear that none of us were to see one another after the job was done last year."

"I had to Sephiroth! I needed her help in making sure Sora never remembered what happened before the accident!"

He narrowed his eyes at her, urging Beatrix to continue. "I hired her to give Sora illegal medications to suppress the chances of his memory returning, that's all. I gave Scarlet her money and she took off. I told her that I would never need to see her again."

"And you're telling me that she somehow ran into Vincent and revealed everything to him?" Sephiroth asked not completely satisfied with Beatrix' answer.

The arrogant, fearless, and usual smug look on her face was quickly melting away, revealing a terrified woman staring down a man just waiting to kill. She managed to squirm her way out of his grip and back to the bar where she too took a swig of the vodka.

"And you're drinking again!" He yelled, swatting the bottle from her hand and shattering all over the glossy floor. "It's like you're wishing this child will die."

"I'm not wishing, I am making sure it dies," she muttered.

A powerful hand across her cheek cracked through the air, resonating through the halls and into the empty bedrooms beyond.

"Listen carefully to what I'm going to say," he whispered dangerously. "If that child dies, I will make sure you go along with it."

Beatrix looked at him through the tears, "You son of a bitch, after all that we went through!"

"Shut up! I don't want to hear about this anymore. Our priority is finding Scarlet and dealing with her."

The brown haired woman held a palm against her reddening cheek, holding it like it could fall off any minute. "Good luck, she's long gone by now," she said through short gasps of air.

Sephiroth looked away in contemplation, his mind busily cranking its gears. Beatrix remained trapped within his outstretched arms, like an animal caged by tall fences. This was one side of the man she had never seen, and wished she hadn't. After a few more awkward minutes Sephiroth backed away and disappeared into their room. She felt no need to go after him, ask him any other question. Letting out a much needed sigh, Beatrix slid herself against the slick wall. Broken pieces of glass lay a few feet away from her, the liquid contents slowly crawling outwards. She brought both hands up against her face, the tips of her nails digging themselves into her skin. Beatrix wasn't aware of the piercing pain as small droplets of blood trickled down her fingers and off the tip of her chin. It seemed like her luck was beginning to tip in the other direction.

X

Cid's departure came much later than he had been hoping for. It was early the following morning, the day after he had found out where Sora was hiding away. The very skies he had pointed at the previous day had provided the city with a very heavy and unusual string of rainstorms. It was summer, but the weather obviously didn't seem to care. Cid threw the end of his used cigarette over his shoulder as he watched the airport crew take a look at his plane. The Highwind sparkled with a brilliant radiance, outshining any other flying vehicle for miles around. They had been looking over it for a few minutes before one of the crewmembers gave Cid the thumbs up. Taking his small knapsack and slinging it over his arm, Cid walked the short distance to his plane before thanking the crew for their work.

Once situated in the cabin, with the plane started and warming up, the blonde pilot got the okay for him to take off whenever he was ready. The people on the ground below scurried away as the propellers whirled dangerously fast, each long blade gaining speed with every second.

"Alright boys, I'll see ya in a while!" he yelled through an intercom, catching their attention and having it returned with several waves of their hands. It wasn't long before his plane was just one more speck in the blue skies. The clouds were still a murky gray color, and he was sure not to push ahead to quickly in case they decided to turn on him and begin another downpour. One hour went by, then two, and eventually Cid found himself wanting to drift off into sleep. Who could blame him though? He hadn't slept in well over two days now. Putting in several commands to set the Highwind into autopilot, Cid let out a tired sigh as he dug himself farther into his seat. He adjusted the goggles atop his head as to not annoy the back of his head when sleep slowly descended upon the blonde man.

_"Destined time of arrival 8 hours…" _

_"Destined time of arrival 5 hours…"_

The computer kept counting down every hour, the electronic voice apparently not loud enough to wake the snoring pilot. While he slept he dreamt of years gone by. Random memories of aviation school and hanging out with Laguna flashed by as if he was watching an old black and white reel of film. Eventually he found himself revisiting a special occasion in his best friend's life. He was standing out in the sandy beaches of Costa del Sol, a province of Midgar and the place chosen for Laguna's wedding. Dressed in a very uncomfortable looking white suit, Cid moved the bowtie around his neck with his finger, allowing a draft of cool air to caress his heated skin. Chair upon chair was set out in the sand, the waves crashing on the shore sending bits of water across the alter. One by one people began making their way down the beach and into the chairs sitting on the speckled ground. He greeted each one with a rugged smile, his eyes watching Laguna as he spoke with the clergyman. They exchanged nervous glances, the act making Cid feel that much more nervous. This was the big day, the day he passed on his best friend to a woman that deserved him more than he did. He knew this day would come. It was bound to happen the minute Laguna laid eyes on Raine's beautiful face. Cid greeted the last few stragglers as a series of stringed instruments began resonating through the air. The blonde man quickly walked up to Laguna's side, his matching white suit sporting a single bloom more than likely making up Raine's bouquet. Then, the most beautiful sight came into view and Cid couldn't help but feel a sudden prick in his heart. Coughing silently, Cid smiled for his friend as Raine, dressed in a lavish creamy white dress, came walking down the aisle.

_"Destined time of arrival 3 hours…"_

Cid watched Laguna take Raine by the hand as he brought her up the last couple steps to face him directly. The clergyman began repeating his usual drone, with Cid not paying to much attention to it. He wasn't a man that lived by religion in any way so he wasn't too interested in what he had to say. Sniffled arouse from around the crowd with women dabbing at their eyes with a multitude of colored handkerchiefs. Laguna kept stealing glances in Cid's direction and the blonde was more than happy to smile back at him. The ring exchange came and went, then their vows. Eternal love, compassion, fidelity, those were just some of the many words spoken as the clergyman came to the very last act of the ritual. Speaking in a tongue known by only those of Yevon, he said a prayer and a magnificent gentle rain fell from the skies.

"_You may now kiss the bride."_

A burst of applause roared through the air as the newly wed couple shared their first kiss. Cid was more than likely clapping the hardest, despite a feeling of loss within his heart. He hid the tears that came, arguing that it was the rain that left streaks down his cheeks.

"_Destined time of arrival, 10 minutes."_

Cid coughed violently as he awoke, the cabin dark except for the mass of buttons glowing in front of him. Rubbing the grogginess away the blonde man cleared his throat and began pounding away at a keyboard.

"Damn, I slept the entire time. I'm lucky the weather didn't decide to turn nasty."

He took the Highwind out of autopilot and wrapped both hands around the controls. The dreams were still fresh in his mind and he couldn't really explain what brought about such old memories. But taking one look out the windows and seeing the black clouds gave him his answer. Slowly but surely thousands of lights began to appear beneath him. Smiling at the scene Cid began his descent. This was the first time in 16 years that he'd return to his home country and a slight sense of déjà vu overcame him. Shaking his head Cid realized this wasn't the time to be thinking about such things. His main priority was to find Sora and make sure he was fine. There wasn't an army powerful enough to keep him away and even less to keep him from causing bodily harm to Beatrix if he didn't find the brunet boy without a scratch.

_"Attention, this is Midgar Air Regulations, please state your license number and authorization code."_

The voice resonated through the cabin, immediately snapping him out his reverie. Sixteen years away from Midgar left his memory a bit foggy and Cid struggled to remember his old identification numbers.

"Right, this is Cid Highwind, license number 0001013 of the Shin-Ra Aviation Academy. Authorization code, Venus Gospel."

There was a moment of silence before the voice crackled back into life. "Thank you Mr. Highwind, you have clearance to land. Welcome back and enjoy your stay."

"Thank ya much, but I ain't really on vacation."

X

It was a day of laziness for the two boys. Following a night where their relationship took another step further, both teens felt the need to sleep for the rest of the day. They awoke to meet the dark skies and stars. Riku perched himself up on his elbow, his hair cascading down his side to tickle Sora's naked shoulder. He watched the groggy boy as he woke from a series of good dreams.

"Night," Riku whispered, "I thought it was inappropriate to say good morning since we decided to sleep all day."

Sora wasn't quick to respond as he stretched out, the tips of his feet poking out from beneath the covers. "I guess you're right," he yawned.

"Sleep well?"

"Mmhmm, quite," Sora muttered as he rubbed his eyes. "Could do with a bit more, but I think my stomach is in need of dinner."

Riku let out a laugh, "Is food always on your mind? I don't remember you being this hungry."

Sora punched him lightly against the chest, "It's not my fault I have a healthy appetite."

Riku dropped his head several inches in order to place his lips against Sora's. He left a quick kiss and lifted himself up to his previous position. They looked at one another for several moments, reading each other's eyes. Sora was the first to look away with a blush across his cheeks.

"I…I hope I wasn't disappointing last night," he said with his face pressed against the pillow.

Riku knew what he had said despite the muffled words and smiled, bringing a hand to run up Sora's back. The touch made Sora suck in a sharp inward breath, which Riku devilishly grinned at. He placed his lips dangerously close to Sora's ear and breathed in hot air.

"Not in the slightest," he whispered.

Sora thanked the Faiths he was looking in the other direction for he was as red as the apples he wolfed down the previous day during lunch. "I'm glad…I wanted to make sure it was as meaningful to you as it was to me."

Riku wrapped an arm around the shorter boy and pulled him back against his chest. "It was the most meaningful thing I have ever experience. I'm so happy to be here with you."

They spent a few minutes pressed against one another, with Riku nibbling on his ear. Eventually the loud noises coming from Sora's stomach were too much for them to ignore as they burst out in a fit of laughs. Riku got up and shivered when he realized that the air was colder than when he was snug in bed. Sora looked at his naked body and brought the covers tighter around himself. He had noticed before, but now he really knew why everyone was obsessed with the silver haired teen. Devoid of any physical flaw, Riku was a god walking among mortals. He could almost smack himself for sounding so cheesy, but he couldn't help but think that Riku was indeed, all his. The older boy turned in Sora's direction and let his aqua colored eyes rest on his covered body. Slowly Riku brought his arm up and turned his hand over, letting his palm face the ceiling. Sora looked at his outstretched hand, beckoning him.

"Come on, shower with me."

Sora removed himself from the bed's comfort and took Riku's hand in his. For some odd reason, the image seemed awfully familiar, as if he had seen it in some distant dream. Perhaps it was of a dream in some made up reality.

X

Vincent stood before the entire staff having just finished a very important speech. They all looked at him with sad eyes, realizing that their time at the condo was now at its end.

"I want to thank each and every one of you for all your years of service and loyalty to this household. Everyone, thank you so much for remaining after Aerith's death, I can't begin to explain my gratitude. But, as you can all see, things are rather slow, and Mr. Sephiroth feels it's time he moves ahead as well for the rest of you."

Several of the maids dabbed at their eyes with their aprons, but didn't dare speak a word. Vincent smiled at them, his hands playing with several envelopes sitting on the living room table. "These are your severance pay. He has been very generous and has given you enough to tide you over until you are able to find new work. I've included a letter of recommendation for each of you so know that I am looking out for all of you."

"Thank you very much Vincent."

"I'm so glad I met you."

"It's been a great set of years."

"We won't forget you or Ms. Aerith."

Vincent took in a deep breath as he was pelted with compliments and comments left and right. Projecting a face of professionalism and compassion, Vincent bowed his head in respect. "I thank you all. Please, you may take your leave whenever you like."

One by one the staff members picked up their respective envelope, and with several hugs and handshakes later, were all walking out of the condominium building with tears in their eyes. As the door closed, Vincent's warm looking face twisted itself into a stern, determined mask. Bringing out a mound of folders he had hidden behind the couch, Vincent toppled the table with paper upon paper with information regarding Sephiroth's spending activity, accounts, notices, absolutely anything that could give him a hint regarding Aerith's death. He had spent the entire day going through them, stopping only to make the staffs' paychecks and letters. Vincent had all the weapons he needed to bring the silver haired man down. His biggest mistake was giving him complete access and authority to all his personal things.

"Come on, I've gone through all of these a hundred times, what am I overlooking?"

The minutes ticked on and he was getting more and more frustrated by the second. The papers began falling to the floor as he looked but didn't seem to care. The skies creeping through the windows were dark, but slowly clearing of the clouds that had provided the city with an unusual rain. It brought him an odd sense of relief as he continued on his most important of tasks. The ringing of the telephone made him freeze momentarily before he mustered the gall to pick it up.

"Vincent?"

It wasn't Sephiroth, but it was another person he wasn't sure he was ready to speak to. "Yes, yes, it's me Yunalesca, how are you doing?"

"Good, Vincent, good. Is everything okay with you? You sound a bit stressed."

She was good, that much he could clearly say. "No, just a little tired. I haven't been able to sleep these last couple days."

There was a pause where Vincent wished he had a glass of water nearby to swallow the growing lump in his throat. He still hadn't found out where Riku had gone and the fact that he was speaking with Yunalesca wasn't making the reality any easier to deal with.

"I'm sorry to hear that, maybe you should go see a doctor?"

Vincent shook his head as he ran a hand through his long onyx hair. "No, no, it's not that bad, really. But here I am rambling, tell me, how's Alexandria treating you?"

"Well, actually…"

Vincent felt his heart perform an unusual rhythm. "Yes?"

"I'm calling you from Alexandria Air, I'm on my way back to the capital."

It was the last thing he wanted to hear from her. "Oh really? But you've only been there a few days, why the sudden need to come back?"

Yunalesca sighed on the other side. "As much as I love it here, I'm ready to come back home. It's also not the same if I don't have Riku here with me. I haven't been able to think about anything else except him since I got here. How is he anyways? Is he there at the moment?"

Vincent didn't know why he bothered looking around the empty space. It wasn't like Riku was going to appear out of thin air with a bright smile on his face. "He's out with some friends he made earlier today, they invited him over for some party. I told him not to be out to late, but I felt rather odd telling him what to do, so I shouldn't be surprised that he hasn't come back yet."

"Oh by all means Vincent, you have my permission to tell him exactly what to do. Just because I'm not there doesn't mean he can't ignore your rules. This is exactly why I can't be away, I need to make sure he's okay."

Vincent bit his lip, "Don't worry Yunalesca, I promise to have him back safe and sound by the time you arrive. When are you returning if you don't mind?"

"My plane leaves in an hour, so I should be back by noon your time."

_"Shit."_

"Great, I'll be waiting for you at the airport, I'll see you in a while."

"Thanks Vincent, you have a good night."

He clicked the phone off, muttering under his breath.

"Shit."

Swallowing the painful lump in his throat, Vincent got up and went into the kitchen. He poured himself a glass of water and drank until he was satisfied and the uncomfortable scratchy feeling was gone. The Faiths couldn't have been mocking him more than they were now. His hands were full at the moment, and the missing teenager wasn't helping at all. Vincent knew he had to find him, but at the moment, thoughts of seeing Sephiroth behind large metallic bars was to great an image to shove away in his mind. He refilled his glass and walked back out into the living room. Crimson eyes looked at several of the pages that managed to fall to the floor. There was a series of dates at the top of the typed papers with a seal resembling a building with large angelic wings. He looked at them, realizing that they dated more than a year ago. Setting the glass of water aside, Vincent scooped them into his hands and began shuffling the sheets around.

_"…maybe you should go see a doctor?"_

Yunalesca's words resonated in his mind before his eyes went wide. He continued reading and the more he dove in, the more he began to figure things out. Vincent had always wondered how it was that Aerith continued getting worse while Sephiroth was away at work. Aerith had state of the art care, had the best doctors examining her, yet her conditions kept getting worse. Vincent felt so incredibly stupid for not realizing things were right in front of him. A named popped up among the papers and the final piece to the puzzle was put in place. The face of a blonde woman flashed across his eyes. Her perfect teeth, her red lipstick, everything was so incredibly clear.

"Scarlet."

X

Cid bid farewell to the crew left to watch over his beloved ship as he ventured into the streets of his hometown. Things hadn't really changed, more buildings had arisen and flashier looking billboards filled the skies, but the atmosphere still felt the same. Okay, so things had changed sine he last visited the city, but Cid felt right at home. Having gone without a cigarette for over 10 hours now, Cid flipped the top of his cigarette box and pulled one of them out. Wisps of smoke rose upward, disappearing as breezes carried the fumes away. Everywhere he looked there were people, cars, shops, diners, everything mimicking that of Holly City. Several giggling girls nearly bumped into him and he had to perform quick maneuvers to make sure he didn't smack into them. A series of scoffs and mutterings of "dirty old man" managed to reach his ears. He smirked and rolled his eyes, realizing that no matter where he went, people seemed to think the same of him.

"So Cid," he said to himself, "if I was a runaway tyke, where the hell would I go?"

It was a question that wouldn't get a clear answer. Cid simply walked along the streets, looking around, observing anything really. He looked up at the Shin-Ra tower, smiling as he remembered a time ages ago when his class was invited to a ball hosted by the president. Cid's smile quickly faded into a mere frown when he remembered that was where Laguna had met Raine. Shaking his head furiousy, Cid continued with all thoughts of his friend put aside.

_"Get over it ya damn geezer, ya lost to the pretty woman. Your responsibility is to be a good godfather to Sora now that he's alone."_

He regretted it every day of his life. When he heard about the fatal crash in Dalmasca, Cid knew his chance was gone forever. The blonde pilot would never get the chance to tell Laguna that he loved him more than anything else.

"Hey, get out of the way!"

Cid saw the lights zoom by as the person driving the car flipped him a not so nice sign with his finger.

"I was walking ya lousy inbred!" Cid hollered not caring that several people were looking at him. "What the hell ya lookin' at?"

They shrugged and returned to whatever it was they were doing. Cid thrust both hands into his pockets as he walked. It seemed that Midgar had its fair share of unusual rain as he stepped over muddy and shallow puddles. The cigarette sitting between his lips was at its end and Cid let it fall into the murky waters dotting the streets. The more he wondered the more he realized that he was in the same situation as he was in Holly City. He had no damn clue where to start looking. For all he knew, they could have left for Costa del Sol and he wouldn't have known otherwise. At some point he came across park he had never seen before.

"Heh, must have built it after I moved outta this place."

Cid knew the fountain was made of Gummi the moment his eyes landed on the monument. Coins of every kind littered the bottom, including several sparkling munny pieces from Destiny Islands. It wasn't unusual for Destiny Island citizens to travel to Midgar. It was the nearest nation after all. Sniffling slightly, what with the growing cold and all, Cid figured getting some coffee would make him feel a little better. He didn't take long to find a place that looked appealing. Cid sat by the window of the small coffee shop sipping at his black brew. If he didn't know any better, this place was ten times better than the stuff Wedge could make back in the capital. He thought back to the rich man he shared a conversation with the previous day, remembering the sorry state he was in.

_"Poor guy, but I'm glad I'm not anywhere near as bad as he is."_

After a while, and after two more cups of coffee, Cid was ready to go. He passed nightclubs as he walked, the heavy bass resonating in his ears. The blonde could never comprehend how kids nowadays could stand being in such hot and loud places for hour on end. Dressed in extravagant outfits and heavy makeup, Cid found the young crowds not to his liking. But he found himself standing still, as if ice had shot out of the ground and held him in place. His eyes peered forward, the uncanny shape of a brown haired boy standing at a street corner. The words spewed out of his mouth before he had a chance to think.

"SORA!!"

Everyone turned in his direction. Off in the distance a brunet teen turned his head towards the voice. A taller silver haired teen draped an arm around him as if to protective him from an invisible threat.

"What was that?" Sora asked as he took a step in the voice's direction. Riku narrowed his eyes and found a blonde man standing with both arms at his side.

"Let's go, I'm not liking this," he responded gripping Sora by the hand.

"No," Sora argued, "it sounded familiar."

Before Riku could say another word Sora began walking away. The older boy followed closely after with an arm still draped over Sora. As the distance was shortened both Sora and the blonde pilot could only gasp.

"Sora!"

"Cid!"

Sora felt his lungs constrict as the older man crushed him into his chest. Cid felt tears swell around his eyes but wouldn't let them fall. "You little son of a bitch, what the hell have you been up to?"

There was a long moment of silence as Riku simply observed the two. He still didn't have a clue who this man was and the way he was holding onto HIS Sora was making his inners hot. "Uh, mind filling me in?"

Cid looked over Sora's shoulder and carefully studied Riku. "You must be the guy that's stolen my boy's heart."

"Your boy?" Riku asked with a raised eyebrow. "Excuse me but who the hell are you?"

X

Vincent, like many others, didn't like hospitals. The time he came in with Yunalesca following Riku's sudden and distressed phone call he put up a front, but behind it he was terrified by them. Then again, he always accompanied Aerith any time she had an appointment with one of the doctors of St. Alexander's Hospital. But he wasn't hurt, nor sick, so why was he there? That indeed was a very good question. Vincent walked through the sterile clean halls, the white of the walls giving off a sickly feeling in his stomach. It wasn't long before he came to a room housing several rows of chairs and a counter where a nurse was sitting behind. The place was pretty deserted and he simply walked up to her, a folder securely in his hand.

"Excuse me, but I was wondering if you could help me out with something," he said once she turned up from her paperwork.

"If it's in my power, then yes, what can I do for you?"

Vincent took in a deep breath. "I'm looking for a particular employee here by name the name of Scarlet. I was wondering if I could speak with her please."

The nurse gave him a quizzical look. "I'm sorry sir, but Nurse Scarlet is temporarily on vacation. She won't be back for a couple weeks."

Vincent cursed inwardly. "I see. Is there any way I can contact her? Do you have a phone number I can reach her at?"

"I'm sorry," she said scribbling on a piece of paper, "but that is confidential information and I can't disclose it to the public. I would be more than happy to jot down your information and have her give you call once she returns."

Vincent shook his head, "No, that's okay. Thank you." He began to turn away when another idea popped into his head. "Excuse me, but does Scarlet have a supervisor? A doctor she reports to on a daily basis?"

She nodded, "Yes, Dr. Kadowaki, why?"

He knew it was worth a try. "Is there any chance I can speak with her?"

A few minutes later Vincent was standing outside a small office, the door currently closed with black letters spelling out the doctor's name. He closed his hand into a fist and knocked softly. There was a series of shuffles as the door slowly opened. Vincent stood face to face with a tired looking woman, her hair pulled back in a lose bun.

"Is there something I can help you with?" she asked

Vincent offered his hand, "Vincent Valentine, I was hoping you could spare a few minutes of your time and speak with me."

She smiled at him, "Of course, after today, what's a few more minutes going to do?"

Dr. Kadowaki invited him in and asked him to sit down in the chair beside her desk. Mountains of papers littered the surface, empty coffee cups, and an assortment of different colored pens. "I must apologize for the mess, I haven't had the time to do any cleaning."

"Not at all," Vincent reassured her, "I know that doctors have precious free time from their other duties."

"Yes, yes, that is quite true. But that asides, may I ask why you have come here tonight?"

Vincent plastered on a stern look and brought out the folder he was holding onto viciously. He spread the papers for her to see and began his explanation. "First of all doctor, I know you have a code of silence and I must ask that you don't repeat any of what I am about to tell you."

Dr. Kadowaki's tired face immediately lost its look as she became more alert to what it was that Vincent was saying. "I understand, please continue."

The raven-haired man muttered a silent prayer to the Faiths, "This is regarding a contract made by my employer, Sephiroth and a nurse of this hospital…"

tbc

**A/N: Hope you liked. Let me know what you thought. I will be including a list of all the references I made to the Final Fantasy series from now on so those of you that are reading and aren't to familiar with the games, know what I'm deriving things from.**

Dalmasca---Nation found in the game Final Fantasy XII(12)

Midgar---city found in the very popular Final Fantasy VII(7)

Costa Del Sol---vacation resort in Final Fantasy VII(7)

Laguna and Raine---characters from Final Fantasy VIII(8)

Cid and Vincent---enough said, if you don't know this one, then you are one saaaaad little boy or girl XD

Dr. Kadowaki---doctor for Balamb Garden in Final Fantasy VIII(8)

Scarlet---character from Final Fantasy VII(7)

Beatrix---general to the nation of Alexandria in Final Fantasy IX(9)

Wedge---a name used for various characters throughout the FF series.

Alexandria---nation in Final Fantasy IX(9)

Alexander---a summon/GF/eidolon/aeon/ whatever it's incarnation found through the FF series.

Yunalesca---ancient summoner of Zanarkand from Final Fantasy X(10)

Venus Gospel---final weapon for Cid in Final Fantasy VII(7)

**If I have included more than these in this chapter and totally spaced out, let me know. Till next time everyone, happy late Valentine's Day!**


	20. Emotional Truths

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, it belongs to Square-Enix and Disney.

**A/N: It's been a while, but here's the next installment. Not as long as previous chapters, but very emotional and gut wrenching nonetheless. Things definitely progress and the conclusion is within sight. Thanks for reading and hope ya like.**

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 20**

**Emotional Truths**

Vincent placed his head against the steering wheel of his black Mercedes, the leather rustling slightly as he moved around. It had been one of the most difficult nights in a long while, he thought, pressing a hand to the back of his neck to soothe his aching muscles. But despite how tired he felt, and the mental exhaustion, Vincent was ultimately satisfied with everything he had done that day. It was only a matter of time now before Sephiroth and Beatrix would be found guilty, and hopefully placed behind bars. It would bring a conclusion to Aerith's death, and perhaps put her soul at peace. All these thoughts filled his head, and Vincent was finally feeling the effects of sleepless nights and constant worry. It also didn't help with the fact that in less than half a day, Yunalesca would be returning to Holly City and expecting to see Riku safe and sound. Vincent clasped a hand to his face as he rested against the seat.

"_I solve one problem, now I have another. What am I going to do?"_

He felt guilty for ignoring the teen's situation. All his energy and thoughts were constantly revolving around Sephiroth and his twisted dealings, yet not a lot of consideration went towards Riku's well being. Vincent felt horrible, and the revulsion he felt for being so selfish was currently plaguing his empty stomach. For all he knew Riku could be dead, and it would be his entire fault if he was. Shaking his head at the morbid visions, Vincent opted to head back to the condo and rest. He'd have to get up a bit before noon to see Yunalesca arrive at the airport and he needed all the sleep he could manage. He knew that it would be a very uncomfortable sleep, yet sleep was what he needed. Vincent turned the ignition and cradled the folder full of important documents at his side, his hand guarding them as if letting go would cause his world to shatter. With a head full of complicated thoughts, Vincent was soon driving through the very early morning, his mind a complete mess.

X

Cid opened a lazy eye, his vision tired and blurry. He could see two figures sleeping comfortably within each other's arms, with Sora's head resting against the nook of Riku's neck. The blonde watched them as the grogginess slowly wore off, his eyes studying the picture in front of him. This was the first time he had ever seen Sora be this close to another person, and more precisely, to another boy. He had always known his godson was a little different, but then again, so was he. Cid wasn't about to judge Sora for simply being himself. But he couldn't shake off the slightly uncomfortable feeling of not being the one there to protect Sora and instead, having to watch him find comfort in someone else's arms. He growled silently, realizing after their long conversation into the early morning hours that Beatrix was to blame for every negative thing that Sora had to go through. It was her fault he hadn't had the chance to see him grow up in his teenage years, her fault that Sora was in hiding hundreds of miles away from home. Then again, and Cid was being critically technical here, but Sora was already home. Cid gave a sigh, wondering when would be the best time to reveal the truth about his past. The poor kid had already gone through so much and he wasn't sure he'd be able to take in such a crucial piece of information when he was still recovering from an accident that should have never happened.

"_Fucking woman, to think you nearly killed him."_

It took both Riku and Sora's combined strength to keep Cid in his seat following the snippet of information about his accident when they left Club Hell Fire. Sora had never seen his godfather so angry, and he wasn't about to let him go off and do something that he would regret later. Cid found himself smiling at the sleeping figure, glad that Sora was a more critical and rational thinker than he was.

_"Poor Riku though, the boy's parents split up, his father gets Beatrix pregnant, and now she's involved with this Sephiroth fella."_

It was yet another shock when he found out about Beatrix' pregnancy, and had to force his surprise to the boys despite his knowledge that they had nothing to worry about since Sora was in no way related to Beatrix by blood. He even felt bad for the unborn child, knowing that Beatrix would never be the mature adult needed to raise a baby. That is, if it survived to see the outside world. All in all, the night had provided both sides with vital pieces of information. Cid was now aware of why Riku and Sora had fled the country, and the two teenage boys now had someone that they could trust. So, now the only problem was figuring out what to do next. He couldn't force them to return if they didn't want to, they were considered adults under Midgar law. Yet, they couldn't hide themselves in a hotel room for the rest of their lives, so Cid was trying his hardest to come up with a solution. He was momentarily disturbed when he heard the bed creak and the distinct sounds of yawns fill the air. Cid took a look at his watch and noticed it was almost 9 a.m. Not wanting to be there when they fully awoke, Cid decided to head out for some coffee or a quick little something to munch on and leave the two to wake up and get ready for whatever was going to happen that day. With little worry, Cid was out of the room and walking out the doors of the hotel.

"Where do you think he's going?"

Sora remained positioned with his face against Riku's neck, his lips slightly parted as he took in a breath. He leaned back a fraction, just enough to look up at Riku.

"Getting some coffee," Sora mumbled, returning to the comfortable position he was in. Riku brought a hand up Sora's back, resting it at the base of his neck and massaging through the material of his shirt. The brunet sighed as Riku continued, the sounds of skin and fabric meshing into one.

"He's a good guy," Riku said after a few minutes. Sora placed a soft kiss on the taller boy's neck.

"Yeah…he is. He's been my dad's friend for as long as I've known him. I remember I would often stay at his place whenever dad would go out of town with my mom. It was always fun, staying up and everything."

"My dad never had much of a social life," Riku commented. "Work consumed all his time, but he seemed happy."

There was a rustle as Sora removed himself from within Riku's embrace and stretched his arms, the tips of his fingers touching the headboard. He brought down a hand over his eyes as he let out another yawn. Riku smiled, the ends of his hair managing to tickle Sora's cheek.

"I can't believe my dad's still in the capital," Riku said after a while, an extended finger drawing circles against the sheets. "I thought after the way I acted he would have left, but I was honestly surprised when Cid mentioned he had talked to him."

"Yeah," Sora added, "What are the chances of that?"

Riku shook his head, "Obviously not low enough."

Sora could see there was something bothering Riku; it was easily read across his face. The brunet turned on his side, his cerulean eyes concentrating on his boyfriend. "You okay?"

There was a pause before Riku clicked his tongue. "I don't know, maybe."

"Does it have to do with your dad?"

Riku felt a mediocre smile tug at his lips, realizing that Sora was reading his expressions a little to easily. "I guess."

"You feeling like you made a mistake?"

Riku turned quickly towards Sora, his eyes furrowed. "I don't think I made a mistake. He's the one that's at fault for what happened. But…I can't help but feel a bit sympathetic."

Sora patted a stray spike of hair down, "I can understand. Do you think he's aware of my mom's involvement with Sephiroth?"

He shook his head, "I doubt it. As far as I'm concerned, she's still got him wrapped around her finger."

"Well…" Sora droned. Riku waited for him to finish, but decided to ask. "Well, what?"

"Why don't you try and make peace with your father?"

Sora was expecting Riku to immediately refuse the idea, but when the silver haired teen fell silent, he knew Riku was debating the thought.

"I don't know if I can."

Sora took a hold of Riku's hand. "I think you should. Unlike me, you've still got your dad. If I were you, I'd want to have my father involved in my life somehow, don't let your pride and anger get in the way."

Riku wasn't sure what to do at this point, but hearing Sora's words felt comforting and he knew that everything he was saying had solid validity.

"Think of it this way Riku. By forgiving him, you prove to yourself that you are the stronger person."

Riku placed a kiss against Sora's lips, stopping him before he had a chance to say anything. "Sometimes I can't believe you're only 16 years old. You're wiser than a lot of people I know."

Sora blushed slightly, "I have my father to thank for that."

X

Yunalesca walked past the gates, her eyes falling on the unmistakable figure of Vincent dressed in his usual suit. But she couldn't help frowning at the fact that Riku was nowhere in sight as she closed the space between her and the raven-haired man.

"It's good to see you again Vincent," she said as she embraced the man briefly.

"Likewise, I hope your flight didn't tire you out."

Yunalesca shook her head, "Not at all, slept most of the way. How has everything been here? Has Riku been behaving himself?"

Vincent swallowed her and tried to ease his lips into a small smile. "Good, things have been good. Riku's been spending a lot of time away from the condo, but nothing to worry about."

"I see. Do you know where he is right now?"

He tried looking away, his eyes searching for something to distract him or perhaps give him an idea as to what to say. "With some friends, I don't know much else."

Yunalesca could tell there was something wrong by the way he kept avoiding her eyes and she couldn't help but feel a sudden prick of panic. Trying to stay calm, Yunalesca simply followed when Vincent offered to carry her luggage. Their stroll through the airport was rather quiet, with the occasional scuff of her luggage against the glossy floors.

"Alexandria was wonderful, definitely planning on going again sometime. The queen's castle is marvelous, although I didn't get a chance to visit it."

"I hear a young girl has taken the throne, am I correct?" Vincent asked, using this as a way to stray from the subject of Riku.

The silver haired woman nodded, her heels clicking rhythmically. "Yes, her majesty, Queen Eiko. She's the youngest queen Alexandria has ever had. Her face was all over the place during my visit."

They eventually made their way into the airport parking lot where Vincent placed her belongings in the trunk. Once situated inside, they were off, with Vincent deciding whether or not to head directly to the condo just yet. When Yunalesca noticed Vincent taking a completely different route away from the condo, she felt the need to ask.

"Is there somewhere you need to go?"

He looked out the window, the light turning red as he brought the car to a stop. "You've had a long flight, I felt you might be hungry. Would you mind if I take you to lunch?"

Yunalesca smiled at the offer, but knew he wasn't being completely truthful. "Would you mind if I call Riku and ask him to meet us?"

And with that Yunalesca began digging in her purse, her fingers searching for her cell phone. Vincent felt a rush of panic rise through him as he watched her, but couldn't do a thing against it. He simply drove on, his destination aimless.

_"We're sorry, the number you are calling is currently out of the area."_

Yunalesca stared at the phone with Riku's number staring back up at her. "That's…odd. I'll try it again."

_"We're sorry, the number you are calling is currently-"_

She closed the phone, cutting the voice off before it could finish its message. Turning slowly towards Vincent, Yunalesca could only wonder what he was prepared to say.

"Vincent, is there something you're not telling me?"

He tried to feign ignorance, but she was clearly able to see through that. "Is there something wrong?"

"Vincent." She sternly said, her eyes boring through Vincent. "Where is Riku?"

The Faiths were definitely not being sympathetic towards him at the moment. "Yunalesca, it's really difficult for me to explain it, there's been a lot going on these last couple days."

"I don't care, I want to know where he is."

He swallowed hard again. "Well, to be perfectly honest, I don't know."

She looked at him like with large eyes. "What do you mean you don't know? Vincent, you assured me he was doing okay, where is he?"

"I'm sorry Yunalesca, I don't have any idea where he is."

It was the first time she had felt anger towards Vincent, someone she had believed to be completely honest and kind. As she formed the words in her mouth, she felt her eyes grow large when she noticed a massive television screen against one of the buildings, Sephiroth's face flashing across the surface. The car stopped suddenly when Vincent hit the brake, his face concentrating on the images right in front of him. All around them, people in other cars and citizens littering the streets were looking up at the screen with immense curiosity, the voice of a woman booming through air.

_"In recent news, an anonymous citizen has come forth with information regarding the death of Aerith Gainsborough, wife to the world renowned fashion designer, Sephiroth. If correctly remembered, Ms. Gainsborough passed away early last year after a long and difficult battle against sickness. It came as a drastic shock to the city, for Aerith Gainsborough was loved my many for her unconditional devotion and work with children. Shortly after, Sephiroth disappeared from the fashion market and has only recently appeared. But it has been discovered that her death may not have been related completely to her sickness, but to a disturbing plot to murder her by none other than Sephiroth himself."_

Vincent felt his mouth dry up as he watched, with Yunalesca gasping and covering her mouth with both hands.

_"All information is under strict confidentiality, but we have managed to learn that Sephiroth was having an affair with another woman, her name unknown. It has been derived that this woman and Sephiroth plotted the murder and are currently awaiting arrest. Holly City Police Officials are asking citizens to come forth with any information they may know that could help lead to an arrest. No names will be mentioned."_

This was not what Vincent had been hoping when he had his conversation with Dr. Kadowaki, but things obviously had taken a turn for the worse. Now everyone knew what he was hoping to keep secret and worse, now Sephiroth was aware that he had been found out. It was only a matter of time before he and Beatrix would more than likely disappear from the capital. All hope for cornering him was now gone. Then there was Yunalesca at his side with an expression on her face he couldn't possibly begin to explain.

"I did mention that it would be difficult to explain Yunalesca, believe me when I say I wasn't expecting this."

She turned towards him, her eyes filling with tears. "Explain WHAT? Why Sephiroth is all over the screen? Why he is suspected for the murder of his wife? That he was having an affair with another woman during the same time he and I were getting to know each other?"

Vincent could understand her anger, he wasn't about to argue against that. "I'm so sorry Yunalesca, I didn't want anything like this to happen."

"It was you wasn't it?" She asked, hot tears streaming down her face. "You were the one that came forth with this information."

He balled up both hands against the steering wheel. "I will explain it Yunalesca, there is more you need to know."

"What about Riku? You still haven't told me where he's gone to, I need to know Vincent!"

Another photograph flashed across the screen, this time silencing Yunalesca as the color in her face paled. It was the last image she wanted to see, but there it was. Her smile was mocking her, taunting her, yet there she was. She felt darkness tug at the edges of her visions, her whole body felt like it was falling. Before Vincent had a chance to act, Yunalesca fell sideways, Beatrix being the last thing she saw before everything went black.

X

Cid dropped his cup of coffee; the piping hot contents splattering all over the table and drizzling down the sides onto his clothes. He cursed as he dabbed at the liquid with a napkin, his words catching the attention of several other patrons within the shop.

"Keep it down will you?"

"Fuck you!"

The person muttered under their breath, turning his back to Cid as he refocused his eyes on the television screen within the coffee shop. Beatrix' face was clearly there, the unmistakable brown hair hiding one of her eyes. There wasn't a single word that could explain the confusion regarding what he had just heard.

_"…plotted the murder and are currently awaiting arrest."_

"Man, fucking Islanders sobbing over finding out their idol is a murderer," someone said aloud.

"You're fucking kidding me," Cid mumbled, his gaze still on the screen. Ripping his eyes away, Cid swept past the other citizens and was soon running through the streets, his destination being that of Riku and Sora's hotel room. The voice of the newswoman continued to ring in his mind, repeating over and over and furthering the worry and confusion he was already feeling. He didn't bother with the elevator and threw the door to the stairs open, taking two at a time until he was at the correct floor. He walked over to their room and turned the knob, his eyes falling on a bewildered looking Sora with Riku's arms wrapped around him.

"Oh shit…"

Sora turned to Cid, the typical sparkle within his cerulean eyes lost behind powerful tears. Their television screen flickered to black, but not before flashing one more picture of both Sephiroth and Beatrix. Riku set the remote back on the bed and rested his chin on Sora's shoulder.

"It's okay Sora, it's okay, I'm here."

"No, it's not okay! It's not Riku, it's NOT!"

Cid's heart was crumbling at the sight of his godson breaking into tears, his body trying to remove itself from within Riku's grasp. But the taller boy would not budge and continued holding him, mumbling comforting words into his neck as he too tried to keep from crying.

"What…mom…why are…why is she, how COULD she be involved, I don't understand!"

He was sputtering random thoughts, his mind racing with confusion and worry at the thought of what he had just witnessed. Cid walked in and closed the door, engulfing the room in mediocre darkness since the curtains still remained closed. He kneeled in front of Sora, his hands reaching up to cup the boy's face. Sora flinched at the touch, the need to get away immense.

"Don't touch me! Please, just let me go! I need to be alone!"

"No Sora, you don't. I'm here for ya, now take a deep breath and calm down."

Sora looked past his tears, his cheeks stained with rivers of salty water. "How…can you expect me to calm down…after what I've just seen?"

Cid cursed the Faiths, realizing that his opportunity to tell Sora about his past was at one of the worst and terrible times. Bringing his forehead against Sora's, Cid began to divulge what it was he had been keeping for the past 16 years.

"Sora, there's something ya need to know. It won't be makin' things better for the moment, but for the love of the Faiths Sora, I can't see ya crying."

Riku watched them, his arms still around the shorter boy. "Listen to him Sora, listen to him."

When Sora remained silent, Cid knew it was safe to continue. "Do ya honestly think my little tyke could have such a terrible mother? Do ya think that someone as caring and understandin' as you could be related to such a witch?"

Sora's sobs began to ebb away, his eyes now slightly red but concentrating heavily against Cid's. "Wha-what, are you talking about?"

Cid caressed Sora's cheek, his scuffed and beat up hands rough against his skin. "Your mother was a wonderful and carin' woman. Beautiful and kind, would have made the best damn mother to any kid"

Sora didn't know what Cid was talking about, neither did Riku on the other hand.

"No, Sora, your mother couldn' possibly be that bitch on the screen. Your mother would never have done what she did."

Cid smiled at his godson, "Your mother's name was Raine, and the best woman I have ever met."

It was no surprise to the aging blonde to see Sora's eyes grow, his face paling to a deathly white. Riku simply sucked in a deep breath, his shock nowhere near as that of the boy cradled within his arms.

"Raine, married to Laguna Loire, and together, they had you, Sora Loire."

Sora narrowed his eyes, "What…Cid…what are you saying? My mom has always been Beatrix."

"Then explain to me who these two are?"

Cid pulled a wallet from his back pocket and opened it for Sora to look inside. The contents were typical. Money, coins, credit cards, but more precisely, photographs. The pilot removed a single picture and handed it to Sora, his hand shaking rather badly. Riku glanced over his shoulder, his eyes falling on a man with long hair and a beautiful woman with warm features. He felt Sora tense up within his arms.

"This…this is…the woman from the study, the woman in the picture. The night I stayed up, when dad showed me the Celsius blueprints. She's, she's-"

"Your true mother Sora, your mother."

Sora could not stop staring at the photograph, his fingers tracing the lines of Raine's figure. She was beautiful, and he could see his eyes in hers, those same blue eyes. The brunet looked up, his gaze falling on Cid's rugged face.

"My…my mother…" Sora dragged out, not as a question, but more of a confirmation. "Raine Loire…"

Riku rested his chin on Sora's shoulder and placed a soft kiss against his cheek. "She's beautiful. I can see where you got it."

Time seemed to stop for the trio as they stared at the photograph, all thought of anything else left in the back of their minds. Riku could feel Sora loosen up and removed his arms when he was sure the brunet wouldn't take off. Cid remained kneeling, the lines in his face lost against the darkness of the room. A breeze shook the curtains open, sending in slivers of light and brightening up the room.

"What happened to her?" Sora finally asked, his gaze never leaving the photograph. "How did my dad get involved with Beatrix?"

Cid looked away for a moment. "Raine died shortly after you were born. The pregnancy was a risk from the start and the doctors didn' know if she or ya would make it. I'm guessin', it was to much for her body to take."

Sora frowned, "So she died giving birth to me?"

Cid nodded, "Don't think for a second that it was your fault. Laguna was devastated after losing Raine and didn't want ya growin' up without a mother, so, he married again. Don't know where he met her, all I know is that I never liked the woman. It's her fault I never got to see you grow up into the teenager I'm lookin' at now."

Sora reached a hand forward and wrapped it around Cid's neck, bringing him closer and wrapping both arms around the pilot. The blonde smiled as he fully embraced his godson, tears of his own desperately clinging to his eyes. Riku remained sitting on the bed, smiling at two people who obviously cared about one another.

"My little tyke, there's so much I've missed in your life, but know that I'll never be away from ya again. I'll take care of ya, I promise."

Sora buried his face against Cid's shirt and breathed in. "I think dad would like that."

"Both him and Raine," Cid replied, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I want to go back to Holly City," Sora said, surprising both Cid and Riku. "I'll make sure she never hurts anyone again."

Cid couldn't help but chuckle. "And that's what we'll do, even if I have to do it myself."

tbc

**A/N: I think this is the hardest chapter I've had to write. I can't tell you how many times it ended up in the trash because I just wasn't happy with it. I'm still not, but it's done and I'm glad I can move on. An end is near, and I just want to thank all those that have been with me from the start. Please r&r and let me know what you thought. And I apologize for the long intervals between updates, which means I can't guarantee a quick update next time. **

**References:**

Eiko- playable character specializing in summons and holy magic in Final Fantasy IX(9). My second favorite character in the game asides from Vivi.

Celsius- name of the ship belonging to the group "Gullwings" in Final Fantasy X-2.

Hell Fire- name of the summon "Ifrit's" main attack

Baralai- a character pertaining to one of the three major groups in Final Fantasy X-2.


	21. When The Strong Cry

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but do own the plot.

**A/N: Thank you everyone for the lovely reviews. I'm dedicating this one in particular to "Sydme" for the wonderful words she expressed regarding Ironic Circumstances. I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much everyone, several things are finally explained. **

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Chapter 21**

**When The Strong Cry**

Baralai let out a sigh as a hand ran through his hair, his eyes cast against the wall opposite of him in the airport lobby. There were few others around him, mostly children with their parents as they too waited for the plane that would take them back to the rural islands. It had been some of the hardest days of his life, but Baralai was eager to return home and to the comfort of his own apartment. Needless to say, he hadn't accomplished much upon his arrival. He frowned; remembering the way the conversation with his son had gone from bad, to worse. Then again, what was he expecting?

"_Was I seriously expecting Riku to be calm after what I had told him?"_

He drew aimless circles on his jacket, watching how the fabric sunk with the weight of his fingers.

"_I just wish I could take everything back…if it were possible, then I would."_

Following the episode with Riku, Baralai threw himself into his work for Yu Yevon Inc. and tried his hardest to forget about the incident. His coworkers noticed that the silver haired man was far from okay, but they kept whatever burning question they had to themselves as they worked. Baralai spent the last few days this way, working until he could barely stay awake in order to forget about all the negative things filling his mind.

He brought out his cell phone and flipped it open, immediately noticing that his list of missed calls was non-existent. Baralai felt angry, knowing that Beatrix was residing in the city, yet she did nothing to try and contact him. He still had no idea regarding the accident Riku had mentioned involving her son Sora. Baralai let out another sigh.

_"Just what else are you hiding from me Beatrix? You're no longer the person I had once met."_

He felt an overwhelming sense of guilt, realizing that his love for the brown haired woman was slowly dying away. Baralai had put his family through so much. Hurt them in ways they could never forgive him for, but for what? He felt his fingers forming a fist. What had he sacrificed his family for?

_"For a woman even I don't understand."_

Baralai grit his teeth, remembering the fact that Beatrix was still carrying his child, an unborn life that would come into the world one day and have to deal with mistakes of his parents. He shook his head, no longer wanting to think about it. When he brought his eyes up again, he noticed one of the television screens flicker to an anchorwoman dressed in a turquoise colored suit. What followed would completely devastate his already crumbling world.

X

"Copy that, this is Balthier, we are entering the condominium. We were directed by the worker at the front desk."

_"You may proceed. Please take caution, over."_

The radio set at the officer's belt crackled and died as he and his fellow comrades opened the front door leading into Beatrix' condo. The officer held a hand close to his gun holster, taking the utmost of care as he stepped inside. One by one, the Holly City Officials entered, each one ready for any kind of sudden movement as they worked their way around the living room. Officer Balthier, dressed in a white and blue uniform, motioned for half the group to venture into the halls. Responding with a brief nod of the head, his comrades followed the instructions and disappeared into the dark halls. Balthier roamed the kitchen, a set of latex gloves covering his hands as he searched for any kind of clue.

"Ugh."

The counters were a mess, littered with trash and an assortment of half empty alcohol bottles. The smell was nauseating, yet Balthier didn't let the discomfort show on his face as he ventured. When he felt something hit against his foot, he quickly drew his gun and pointed it at the floor.

"It's nothing, just more empty bottles," he informed the rest of the group who were already hunched in a defensive position.

"Captain Balthier."

He whirled around, his eyes falling on the few he had asked to search through the halls. "Find anything?"

One of them shook his head, "Sorry, nothing. Everything's a mess though."

The light brown haired man didn't need to be told twice regarding the atrocious image the condo was in. Cursing inwardly, realizing that their culprits were nowhere in sight, Balthier motioned for everyone to exit. "Alright, there's nothing here. Let's regroup and head back to the station, be on your feet."

"Yes sir!"

They walked back out into the hallway, with Balthier trailing behind the group.

"Excuse me?"

He stopped mid-step and turned around, his eyes falling on a short blonde girl with an assortment of braids. Balthier smiled as he took a step in her direction. "Yes, what is it?"

The blonde girl dug the tip of her shoe against the carpeted floors, her gaze concentrating on the boring gray material. She look uneasy, her eyes shook slightly. "Officer…did you manage to catch them? I knew the woman that lived there, she hasn't been here to long."

Balthier furrowed his brow. "Is that so? Would it be to awkward of me to ask a few questions?"

She shook her head, brining her eyes back up to meet with his. "Not at all, if it will help you bring those two down, then I will be willing to do what I can."

The officer turned to the others and informed them to head back out and wait for him. Now alone, Balthier removed the gloves he was wearing and stuck them in one of his back pockets. "Alright, what's your name first of all, I promise to keep your identity anonymous."

She offered him a small smile. "Rikku officer, my name is Rikku."

"Alright Rikku, did this woman go by the name Beatrix?"

She nodded, "Yes, that's her name."

Balthier jotted the information down on a pad he fetched from his shirt pocket. "Did you know anything about her? Was there any suspicious activity going on that you noticed?"

Rikku sighed. "I know that she has a son, his name is Sora. I met him a while ago while working at our shop, Al Bhed."

The officer continued scribbling. "Do you know if her son was residing with her?"

The blonde fidgeted for a second. "I believe he was. But…he ran off with his boyfriend. I don't know the details very well officer, but Sora and his boyfriend were desperate to get away from her. I helped them out and managed to drive them away from here."

Balthier gave her a quizzical look. "They appeared desperate? Do you believe that Sora was suffering some kind of abuse?"

Rikku bit her lip. "I don't know sir, I'm just telling you what it is I saw."

"What about Sephiroth, have you seen him around these parts?"

"No sir," Rikku replied, "I know who he is, but I was surprised when I found out he was having a relationship with Beatrix."

"We all were," Balthier said, placing a hand on Rikku's shoulder for a brief moment. "And that's exactly why we're looking for them. Did you see them leave at any point?"

Rikku nodded, "They were gone before the announcement was made, I heard no activity from their condo for the past day, so I'm pretty sure they were gone."

Balthier placed a finger against his lips. "I see. Is there anything else that you think is important?"

Rikku remained silent for a while, contemplating whether or not there was something she could tell him that would help the search. "Well…I don't know if it would be useful, but Sora's father is Laguna Loire."

His eyes grew. "As in the multibillionaire? So, you are saying that Laguna Loire was married to Beatrix?"

She nodded, her green eyes settling on a random spot against the walls. "Yes officer."

Balthier grabbed a hold of his radio and let it crackle into life. "Fran, inform all available parties to head to all private airplane hangers immediately! I repeat, all available parties to every private airplane hanger!"

_"Yes Officer Balthier, I will relate the message at once."_

"Thank you very much Rikku, you just gave us a very important clue. The Holly City Police Department will make sure to recognize your service once we apprehend the individuals."

With that said, Balthier took off, his black boots heavily stomping against the carpet as he carried on. Rikku was left behind with a look of surprise on her face. But instead of letting out a relieved sigh, Rikku felt her hands begin to shake. She turned around and began walking towards her open condominium door. As soon as she entered the door slammed shut, with a tall, silver haired man staring at her with icy blue eyes. His lips curved into a malicious smile while a black gun remained in his hand, the object so threatening it made Rikku feel sick.

"Please, I did what you asked, just leave us alone," Rikku begged, her tiny frame disappearing under Sephiroth's intense stare.

He snarled at her. "Move, go into the living room."

Feeling a prick of panic rise through her, Rikku ventured into the living room where Brother lay with his back to one of the couches, his eyes relieved when he saw his little sister.

"Oui pycdynt!" he yelled, the venom laced in his words singeing the very air. "Get away from Rikku!"

The blonde girl rushed forward, her arms running around his neck as she pressed him close. "It's okay Brother, E's ugyo, don't worry, I'm fine."

"My, what a dirty mouth your darling brother has."

Rikku's eyes darted past Brother to see a brown haired woman sitting oh so comfortably against the counter of their bar. A drink was settled in her hand, the contents clearer than day. She glared at the woman, but dared not say anything to her. She watched as Beatrix took a sip of the alcohol and let out a sigh. "You foreigners definitely know good vodka."

Beatrix looked over at Sephiroth, knowing very well he was furious to see her drinking. Small scabs dabbed at her face, the remnants of an earlier breakdown where her nails dug themselves into her flesh. "Don't you dare start with your rants."

Sephiroth bit back his words. "Our priority is getting the fuck out of here Beatrix, don't make me angry."

The woman glared at him, the drink never leaving her hand. "Don't you think I know that Sephiroth? The entire city is after us if you haven't noticed yet."

Rikku and Brother watched from afar as they continued bickering with one another, giving her a bit of time to think.

"Brother," she whispered, "Brother."

He turned and moved closer, his forehead touching against hers. "Fryd ec ed?"

"Drao'na bmyhhehk uh ryjehk oui vmo dras uid uv dra ledo, dryd'c draen bmyh, oui ghuf dryd nekrd?"

("They're planning on having you fly them out of the city, that's their plan, you know that right?")

Brother nodded slowly, "Oac, dryd'c dra uhmo naycuh fro drao fuimt rumt ic rana."

("Yes, that's the only reason why they would hold us here.")

The blonde Al Bhed girl stole a glance in their direction, with Sephiroth currently yelling at Beatrix regarding the amount of alcohol she was consuming. She returned her attention to Brother.

"Fa ryja du tu yc drao cyo. Vun huf, fa'mm ku ymuhk, pid fa lyh'd mad dras kad yfyo fedr drec."

("We have to do as they say. For now, we'll go along, but we can't let them get away with this.")

Brother gave her a comforting squeeze. "Tuh'd funno Rikku, uhla fa'na eh dra yen E'mm syga cina du caht y tecdnacc lymm drao fuh'd hudela. Drao'mm lydlr ib du ic yht ynnacd dras. Fa zicd haat du cdyo lyms."

("Don't worry Rikku, once we're in the air I'll make sure to send a distress call they won't notice. They'll catch up to us and arrest them. We just need to stay calm.")

For once, Rikku could breathe easily, realizing how stupid these two people truly were. While they would be helping fugitives escape, it wouldn't be long before they would be caught. If anything, this would work out better than the officials could hope for. But, and this was what was making her feel nervous, was that they needed to survive long enough for the arrest. A crack startled them and both looked over to see Beatrix covering her cheek with a hand.

"I won't repeat myself Beatrix."

She glared at him. "To think that I was interested in you at one point, I don't know what the hell I was thinking."

Sephiroth grabbed her by the hand forced a kiss on her lips. She fought against it, but soon found herself melting into the act. When they broke apart Sephiroth made sure to keep his voice low.

"You're the one that seduced me."

He let go of her hand and refocused on the Al Bhed citizens sitting on the living room floor. With a quick wave of the gun in his hand, Sephiroth motioned for them to get up.

"Alright, you're going to be doing a little something for us. You have a ship, correct?"

Brother simply snarled.

"I'll take that as a yes. Okay, well, you are going to be taking us out of the city and to Esthar."

Beatrix got to her feet. "Esthar? Are you kidding me Sephiroth? That's at least a full day's flight!"

He turned to her and glared. "If you would quiet down with your hysterics I will explain. Esthar is a neutral nation. They do not associate themselves with very many countries. Those that run to Esthar are not followed by their problems, which is why many with negative backgrounds leave for Esthar, knowing that officials cannot reach them there."

Beatrix tossed her hair. "So you're telling me we're going to be living like criminals?"

Icy blue eyes met brown. "I don't see you coming up with any better ideas."

To this, Beatrix had nothing to say. "Let's just get out of here."

Sephiroth chuckled. "At last you say something that we both can agree on."

X

Sora felt a gasp escape him as the Highwind flew higher and higher into the clouds. Midgar was but a speck left on the green land surrounding its monstrous walls. He felt a hand curl into his and give it a comforting squeeze. Riku kissed Sora on the cheek as he studied his face.

"You okay?"

Sora couldn't explain the odd feeling he had just experience, but he knew for sure that it was something he didn't want to feel again. "It's…nothing, I just got this weird inkling."

Riku smiled at him. "I'm sure it's nothing, like you said. You're probably still suffering from the shock of what we learned today."

It was true what Riku was saying. It wasn't everyday that you learned that the woman you thought was your mother for the past 16 years was being accused of murder. Not only that, but to learn that she wasn't even related by blood. It was one of the hardest days Sora had ever gone through, but he knew that it had been for the best. Now, as he sat with Riku next to him, on their way back to Holly City, there was only one thought on his mind.

"She needs to pay for what's she's done."

Riku cocked his head at the statement. "You're not the only one that wants her to pay Sora. It was her that ruined my family. It's her fault that I had to hear my mom cry for nights on end through her bedroom door."

The silver haired teen let his hair droop over his shoulders as he bent forward slightly. "And to think that the man she always talked about was just as disgusting and twisted. It hurts me so much Sora, so incredibly much to know that she was being toyed with. It makes my blood boil."

Sora winced when the hand that was once squeezing it comfortingly, was now a vicious grip. Riku immediately apologized and softened his grip, kissing Sora's forehead as an extra apology. "I don't even want to think about how Vincent is feeling right now."

The brunet nodded softly, having heard all about Vincent Valentine during one of their nights of random conversations. "He was best friend's with this Aerith, wasn't he?"

Riku smiled weakly. "Yeah, that's what he told me."

"It's so sad," Sora chirped in, "the way they talked about her on t.v. made her sound like she was some kind of saint. I know for sure that Roxas' little brother and his friend liked going to visit her gardens. Last summer we both took them to the gardens at least once a week."

Silver hair fell over Riku's shoulder and onto Sora's. "It is sad…I feel really bad for Vincent. It probably doesn't help with the fact that he doesn't know where the hell I am."

Riku slapped a hand against his forehead. "What would mom think of him? She trusted him with me and I turn around and do this."

"Stop it Riku, you did nothing wrong. You went along with what you felt was right. If you hadn't…then I would still be holed up in that condo with Beatrix…"

It felt so odd to Sora to refer to his "mother" by her first name, but he no longer felt a need to refer to her by such an important title. He remembered the beautiful woman in the picture Cid had shown them, that delicate face belonging to Raine. "Don't worry Riku, we'll be back in Holly City and things will be okay. As long as you're with me, everything will be fine."

They brought their lips together, with Riku slipping his hand under the back of Sora's shirt. He felt a blush creep across his face, knowing that Cid was sitting in the pilot's quarters right in front of them.

"Don't mind me boys, I'm not watching."

They broke apart when the voice boomed through the air, causing each boy to blush furiously. With the Highwind flying high and their destination clear, Sora began drifting off to sleep, hoping to awaken to the beautiful city lights of Holly City. Riku was not far behind.

X

Yunalesca awoke to a quiet room, the shadows looming in every corner as a single lit lamp sat on a table several feet away from her. Her long silver hair fell over the sides of the leather couch she found herself resting on, the tips hitting the floor rather softly. A slight, dull pain condensed itself in between her eyes as she brought a finger to the spot. She let out a low groan as she attempted to sit up, only to feel lightheaded the minute she got up. Wanting the awful feeling to subside, Yunalesca brought herself back into the position she was previously in.

"Don't force yourself."

The voice boomed loudly through the large and shadowed room, like a whip being cracked against the sides of stubborn horses. Yunalesca didn't need to think twice about who the owner of the voice was, but she wasn't exactly happy with the person.

"What happened?"

A series of footsteps were her reply as she brought a hand to cup over her eyes. Through the cracks in her fingers she could see a longhaired man, his features hidden by the strands of onyx.

"How are you feeling? You've been asleep for a few hours now."

The silver haired woman noticed a glass of cold looking water in his hand and realized how thirsty she was. Using it as an excuse, Yunalesca once again brought herself into a sitting position, this time her eyes falling directly on Vincent. She felt a sliver of sadness at what she saw. Not knowing if it was the shadows playing with the light, Vincent's face seemed so pale and lifeless. She let out a slight cough and Vincent immediately looked up, his hand releasing the glass of water into Yunalesca's.

"Sorry, here you go."

Yunalesca drank until the glass lay empty and handed it back to the man standing in front of her. "Thank you."

Silence. Yunalesca never liked it. Back home she always had the television on or the radio playing some random station. Even Zanarkand's was never without some kind of soft or calming music in the background. Yunalesca felt that when there was some kind of noise it meant that she wasn't alone. But now, there was no comforting sounds filling the empty space, nothing at all.

"Are you hungry?"

She shook her head at the question.

"Do you need more water?"

Once again he was met with the same response.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Vincent, please."

He quickly closed his mouth, the ends of his lips curling downwards into a frown. "I'm sorry."

"I don't understand Vincent. I don't understand how you could lie to me."

Vincent bit his bottom lip as he looked up, the hurt in Yunalesca's face an image he wished wasn't there. "I'm so sorry Yunalesca, please forgive me. In the little time that I have known you, I have learned that you are a very wonderful woman that doesn't deserve what has happened to her. And I'm to blame for making things worse."

She looked at her hands sitting in her lap, not sure of what to say next. There was so much going through her head. So had many questions, so many concerns, but most of all, a desire to know where her son was. "Vincent, I know you are a good man, but what you have done has caused me to lose trust in you. Please, you have to tell me everything that's been going on, don't hide things from me."

Letting out a sigh, Vincent walked towards the draped windows and pulled the curtains aside, immediately flushing the living room with the late afternoon sun. Diagonal patterns played across the space, each one advancing and scaring the shadows away. Yunalesca could now see everything clearly, see how truly devastated Vincent looked. With his gaze cast out the windows, watching the passing of birds, Vincent began an important explanation.

"It all started over a year ago. Sephiroth was celebrating the launch of a new label for one of his graduate students from a fashion academy. Every major celebrity in the country was there, including the president himself. I was busy with all the preparations. I made sure all the caterers were there, all the table arrangements were correct, had to help the crew set up the walkway for the models, absolutely everything. It was very exhausting, but I was happy. I was doing my work as Sephiroth's assistant."

Yunalesca shifted in her seat, her eyes cast against the floor.

"The fashion show was a huge success and Sephiroth was at the center of attention that night. Of course, Aerith was there, supporting her husband and smiling for all the photographers. She herself was an icon to the city, having worked with children of all backgrounds and never once making a single profit off of anything she did for the city. Everything she did was donated to make programs for the children, and to add gardens to major areas. If you remember correctly, I took you to her gardens in the north island."

The silver haired woman smiled at the memory.

"She was always somewhat weak, having a sickness since childhood that all the best doctors in the world couldn't find a cure for. I always worried that she would work herself to death, but she was stubborn and never took my advice. During that night, while Aerith was talking with some charity supporters, amongst the crowds, Sephiroth met a woman who had her eye on him the entire night."

He pressed a hand against the windows, watching how his reflection mimicked his actions.

"I didn't really pay it much attention, but I never liked the way she looked at him, how close she tried to get to Sephiroth. I never mentioned it to Aerith, thinking that it was simply a fan of his work. But…it took me a year to learn that she was far from a fan."

Vincent noticed a billboard flashing the Destiny Idol Ashe advertising her latest single.

"A few months after the fashion show Aerith began feeling more tired. I teased her a little, reminding her that it was her own fault that she was overworking herself to a point of exhaustion, but she didn't listen. A few more days passed and she began getting sick. I also started noticing that Sephiroth was staying out later, but I never questioned it. When Aerith fainted one day, I knew things were far from okay."

Yunalesca continued sitting there, making sure she wasn't interrupting anything Vincent was saying.

"I told Sephiroth about it and he was genuinely worried, so much so that he decided to hire a stay at home nurse for Aerith. He told me that with his workload and my own work to deal with, it was simply too difficult to watch Aerith 24 hours a day. It was true of course, what with me being the assistant to the most important designer in the world. So…I went along with it."

Vincent felt his words choke up in his throat.

"I remember the day I went down to pick her up, this pretty blonde nurse who wore a deep red lipstick. She looked so innocent, so horribly happy when I brought her home. I thought that with her there, Aerith would get better and be up and walking again without any problems. I put my faith in that nurse, I was sure she would make my best friend well again. St. Alexander's highly recommended her, so…I thought things would be well."

The raven-haired man created a fist against the glass, the heat of his skin immediately fogging up the mirror like surface.

"A couple more weeks went by, I also started spending less time away from the condo because my work was simply consuming all of my time. But I knew that Aerith was in good hands. Then…one night, after I finished my work for the day, I went ahead and paid a visit. Scarlet, she looked so concerned, so worried as she stood next to Aerith's bed. I walked in and noticed the deathly pale color on her face. I felt panic shoot through my entire body when I saw that her chest wasn't rising."

Yunalesca was startled when Vincent pounded a fist against the window, the material cracking with the force.

"I threw Scarlet aside and reached forward, taking Aerith in my arms." At this point, the usual confidence in Vincent's voice quivered. "She wasn't breathing and her skin was ice cold. I…I didn't know what to do except hold her in my arms, knowing that it was useless calling an ambulance. I…I knew that Aerith was already dead as I held her there, close to my own warm, beating chest."

Tears leaked from his crimson colored eyes, the salty droplets falling and staining the hardwood floor. "I looked over at Scarlet and started screaming at her, asking her what had gone wrong. She herself was crying, but her eyes were lying, I could tell something wasn't right about her. Not wanting to leave Aerith's side I dialed Sephiroth, then the paramedics. When they arrived…it only got worse. He…I had never seen him cry, never. The paramedics almost had to sedate him because he began breaking things around the house, and I would not budge from where I sat."

He was crying fully now, the image so incredibly foreign to Yunalesca.

"Everyone was devastated. The day of her funeral…hundreds of children came, each one bringing a flower from the hundreds of gardens she had cultivated throughout the city. I had never…never felt such an odd feeling of overwhelming sadness and happiness all at once. I…I remember Sephiroth on his knees, his hands refusing to leave the casket holding Aerith's body. It…it was the most devastating moment of my life when the funeral was over and everyone was gone. Because…at last it had set in, it truly set in. Aerith…she was gone."

Vincent slumped down to his knees as his scalding eyes blurred with tears. "For the next few months Sephiroth refused to go to work and went into a horrible depression. But, I tried my best to comfort him…to tell him that Aerith wouldn't want to see him like this. The next moment…he was gone, and I never heard from him again. That is…not until recently."

Tears threatened to fall from Yunalesca's own eyes.

"When you and I went to St. Alexander's when Riku called…when we ran into Beatrix…everything came back. All the pain, all the worry, all the thoughts that had been rotting in the back of my mind, they all came back. I knew, I knew something was wrong the moment I laid eyes on Beatrix."

A few tears cascaded down Yunalesca's cheek when she noticed Vincent turning to her, his eyes burning.

"It…it was because of her that Aerith died. It was her that seduced Sephiroth, it was her that gave him such a horrible idea…it was she that convinced Sephiroth to hire Scarlet. She…Scarlet was…she was poisoning Aerith the entire time!"

Yunalesca felt her eyes grow wide. "Vincent…"

"That was his twisted plan! He used Scarlet to kill her! Nobody would suspect Sephiroth, one of the world's most famous icons, of murder. It…it was all because of…"

"Beatrix," Yunalesca finished.

Everything went silent again, all except for Vincent's sobs. Yunalesca could only watch as the grown man bawled, the way he was kneeled with his arms clutching his stomach. Tears fell freely down her face, each one dampening the fabric of her skirt. She got up and closed the gap between them, immediately throwing her arms around the man and pulling him close. He didn't resist, instead he buried his face against her chest and cried. Fingers snaked through his black hair as she shushed him. She felt her maternal instincts kick in, despite the fact that Vincent was a full-grown man. A sweet humming permeated the air, each tune carrying softly and beautifully. It was a lullaby she used to sing to Riku every night as a baby, right before he would fall asleep. His crying would die down, his little eyes would close, and everything would fall into a gentle silence.

Silence. For once, Yunalesca didn't mind the silence.

tbc

**A/N: So, hopefully you now are aware of how it is that Beatrix and Sephiroth came to meet. How it was that Aerith died, and how Scarlet was involved in the entire situation. I hope that Vincent wasn't completely out of character, but I do believe that no matter how strong someone is, it's possible for them to feel so strongly about something that they can't help but cry. I also apologize if the Al Bhed was confusing, but that is why I provided the translations. Thanks for reading and please review, you guys are the reason I write.**

**References:**

**Balthier-** playable character from Final Fantasy XII (12)

**Fran- **playable character from Final Fantasy XII (12). She is also the only character in this fanfic that is not human. While I haven't described who she is, she is a species of creatures known as "Viera".

**Ashe-** a princess and playable character from Final Fantasy XII (12).

**Esthar- **an advanced technological city the party visits during the game of Final Fantasy VIII (8) It is also where Laguna resides as president in the game.

**Till next time everyone!**


	22. Final Chapter:Peaceful Endings

Disclaimer: I own the plot, the twists, and all the creativity I put into this story. I don't own the characters though, so sad.

**A/N: Here it is, the last chapter. I really, really appreciate everyone for reading and reviewing my work. Thanks for sticking with me for the last half year or so. I dedicate this to everyone. I won't ramble on, but please enjoy and I hope it doesn't disappoint. **

**Ironic Circumstances**

**Final Chapter**

**Peaceful Endings**

Rikku looked through the rearview mirror, her bright green eyes falling on the shadowed face of Beatrix. She bit down on her lip and was surprised when she tasted the faintest traces of copper. Rikku licked at the corner of her mouth, lapping at where a small trickling of blood oozed from the wound she didn't mean to make. Then again, how could she not be nervous knowing that the two most wanted criminals in the entire city were sitting right behind her, with one holding a gun close to Brother's head. Rikku stole a glance in her brother's direction and noticed the metallic weapon positioned ever closer to his temple, the act making her gulp.

"How far is your hanger?"

Neither of the two Al Bhed made like they heard Sephiroth's words, each feeling too nervous to respond. When Rikku heard the clicking of the gun, she couldn't help but say something.

"It's not to far, we'll be there soon."

"Make it quicker."

Rikku growled inwardly at Beatrix' answer, a boiling hot disgust for the woman eating away at her insides. There was nothing else she would like more than to see Beatrix sitting behind a rail of rusted bars, the inside dark and dripping with god knows what on her smug looking face. It was a fantasy that she was hoping would become a reality, all she needed to do was follow with what they were told and the rest would fall into place. She smiled briefly despite the constant glares hitting her in the back of the head, remembering the reason why she had gotten involved in the entire matter.

"_Riku, Sora…I hope what we're going through is worth it for you in the end."_

It felt like it was only hours ago that she was hugging her newest friends goodbye, their faces fading as the Celsius rose higher into the Midgar sky. The blonde Al Bhed girl asked herself a series of internal questions as she continued driving.

"_What were the chances of them coming into our store?"_

"_What were the chances that I was living next to a murderer, and that she was related to Sora of all people?"_

"_Did I really need to drive them out? Introduce them to Brother and take them far away from home? Did I really do the right thing? Maybe…should I just have turned the other cheek? Refused them help when it was obvious that they were in desperate need of it?"_

There was a sudden honk of the horn and a string of words attacking her as she returned from her thoughts.

"What the hell are you doing? Stop daydreaming and pay attention! You'll get us killed you filthy foreigner!"

Rikku glared maliciously through the rearview mirror, making sure that Beatrix could see the anger burning in her green eyes. Brother coughed silently, catching Rikku's attention and shaking his head ever so slightly.

"_You're right, I can't piss them off."_

Once again she eyed the gun eternally pointed at her older sibling. Tearing her gaze away from the loaded weapon, Rikku made sure to steer clearly through the crowded highways. It wasn't very much longer before they turned the corner of a busy street and their hanger came into view.

"Stop, park to the side," Sephiroth quickly blurted out. "There might be officials lurking around, I won't take a chance. You, tattooed freak, get out and walk over to your hanger."

Brother huffed at the order and slowly opened the door. Sephiroth's icy eyes remained on Brother as he walked away from the Volkwagen, his hands reaching into his pockets. As he neared the hanger, Sephiroth and Beatrix took a good look around, searching for some creeping shadow in the corners or anything out of the ordinary. When they noticed the gates to the hanger opening and Brother looking in their direction, they knew things were clear.

"Drive in and turn the car off."

Rikku followed and pulled the vehicle right past the gates and into the slightly chilly and cavernous room holding their majestic ship. She could hear Beatrix let out a small gasp, knowing very well that she must have been surprised to see a ship designed by her former husband. Rikku felt a strange sense of sadness, realizing that she was in fact, at one point married to the greatest man in the world.

"Well…never thought I would see those horrid sketches made into such a monstrosity."

It took a quick motion of her head to force Brother from mouthing off, knowing how much he idolized Laguna and hearing anyone, including his former wife, speaking ill of him or his designs would earn themselves an earful.

Sephiroth scoffed, rolling his eyes as the loud steps of his boots echoed through the large space. "Save your memories for later, we need to get going Beatrix. So, if you're done gawking, we can go."

The brunet woman shot him a glare, "Like your eyes didn't grow when you saw it."

The silver haired man once again held the gun in Rikku and Brother's direction. "Check the ship, get all the preparations ready. I want to be in the air in less than ten minutes."

"Ten minutes!" Brother yelled. "You must be joking, it will be half hour before ship is ready for flight."

Sephiroth inched closer, his deathly glare making Brother seem like he was a mere insect in front of a very angry and hungry looking toad. Rikku shrieked the moment she heard metal hit flesh. Brother stumbled back, his hand covering a bleeding nose.

"Oui pycdynt!" ("You bastard!") the blonde girl yelled, her eyes shooting daggers at her sibling's attacker.

Sephiroth tossed his hair. "I gave him an order, if he doesn't comply, I will simply imbed a couple bullets in his legs and see how that goes."

The taller man closed the gap between himself and Rikku, his hand shooting up and cupping her cheeks. She whimpered as his fingers dug into her skin.

"I won't repeat myself again, I want this eyesore in the air in less than ten minutes."

He let go of her cheeks roughly before he turned his back and walked over to Beatrix' side, her lips twisted into a grin. The tall man brought his face close to hers and planted a kiss, causing Rikku to look away in disgust.

"I'll check the plane over Brother, clean yourself up while I do it. I can't have you quitting on my just yet."

He acknowledged her words with a nod of his head before Rikku walked off, her feet carrying her into the hull of the Celsius. She made sure to briskly walk through the entire area, searching for any abnormality that would hinder their departure. When all the computers in the bridge read green, Rikku knew things were set. She looked over at one of the many television screens within the Celsius, the current show once again interrupted by the words of a news anchorwoman. They flashed Sephiroth and Beatrix' pictures, this time a name appearing underneath her photographs. It appeared that the information she revealed to Officer Balthier was clearly beneficial and relayed to the news rather quickly. Rikku walked back out, her eyes falling on Brother with a piece of white cloth soaked in his blood next to his nose. Sephiroth stood by the brown haired woman's side, his arm lazily resting around her waist.

"I'm hoping things are good," the silver haired man said.

Rikku looked at the ground. "It's ready, you can head in now."

"Not after the two of you."

The Al Bhed girl turned on her heels, and with Brother right behind her, walked back into the Celsius. The two remained close behind, with Sephiroth making sure he was still in complete control. When the doors to the bridge flew open, Brother quickly maneuvered his way towards the steering controls and began preparing for departure.

"Pressure normal. All systems 100 output and stabilized," Brother began mouthing off, more to himself rather than the passengers. Sephiroth walked around the bridge, his fingers touching the keyboards, screens, anything that seemed interesting. If Rikku didn't know any better, she swore Beatrix was fidgeting nervously towards the back. When Sephiroth noticed her odd reactions, he couldn't help but ask.

"What's the matter Beatrix? Don't tell me you're afraid of flying?"

Beatrix for once didn't glare or make some rude remark at the silver haired man. She simply remained silent as she played with the hem of her expensive looking blue and black blouse with an assortment of straps across her abdomen. "It's nothing, I'm just feeling a bit tired."

When his eyes fell on her hands cupping her stomach, Sephiroth felt his pace quicken. "Is it the child? Are you sure nothing's wrong?"

Beatrix shook her head, brown hair falling across her face as she sat in one of the chairs in the bridge. "It's nothing Sephiroth, let's just go. The sooner we leave, the sooner we arrive in Esthar."

"You heard her, get moving."

Brother took the order without any reply, his nose still producing several dribbles of blood as he clicked several buttons on one of his computer screens. Rikku hovered close by, making sure that things were proceeding correctly.

"Where's Shinra when you need him?" Rikku mumbled, a few images of their young and genius friend who is often left with all the technical situations regarding the Celsius. "I'm just glad he's in Domina instead of here."

They could see the giant gates of the hanger slowly open up, slivers of light snaking their way in and hitting the ship. Immediately the Celsius burst into life, the engines roaring with the pride of a hundred lions. They felt their feet shake, with Beatrix holding on tighter to the chair she was currently residing in. Sephiroth was near her, his hand resting on her shoulder.

"There's bound to be some kind of resting area in this place, go find it and get some sleep. You look awful."

Beatrix managed a small smile. "It's so nice of you to notice."

Sephiroth helped Beatrix to her feet and let her wander off beyond the sliding doors of the bridge. With the clear and bright skies in front of him, Sephiroth felt triumphant as he sat down where the brown haired woman was originally sitting.

"Take off."

Brother muttered and Rikku simply held onto his shoulder as the Celsius slowly, but surely, began rising. Beatrix, on the other hand, wasn't liking the sudden movements of the ship as she walked through the corridors. Pressing a hand against the walls as she moved forward, Beatrix eventually came across a sliding door that revealed a two-story area with what looked like beds on the second floor. The engines continued roaring louder as the Celsius moved forward, sunlight managing to peer through the windows as the entire ship was engulfed under the golden rays. Beatrix walked up the stairs, her eyes falling on the three beds calling to her. Holding a hand to her stomach, the brown haired woman fell down on one of the beds, her eyes looking up at the white clouds now moving faster and faster. She let out a sigh as she turned on her side, the ends of her feet dangling over the edges of the rectangular mattress. When she reopened her eyes, the skies were no longer blue, but painted gold with all the tones of late evening. Sitting up, and placing her feet on the floor, she felt the tips of her toes bump against something soft. Beatrix looked down at the floor, her eyes falling on an article of clothing looking awfully familiar. She bent down slightly in order to pick it up. When she brought it up to her, the realization kicked in and a major pain flashed through her body. She began breathing harshly, the ragged breaths sounding almost inhumane.

_"They did it…they're the ones that did it…"_

With a look of pure venom sketched into her eyes, Beatrix stood up and began walking back down the series of stairs. The entire time her hands would not leave the white vest with a multitude of zippers, but instead was cradled against her chest.

"_They're the ones that took my Sora away."_

X

Sora awoke to find the seat beside him empty, with Riku nowhere in sight. Still feeling groggy from his long nap, Sora stretched his arms as a yawn escaped his lips. Once the sluggish feeling was gone the brunet got up and ventured forward, down a long dark hall, and to the door of the bridge. He wasn't sure why, but not knocking before coming in felt out of place. So, with a closed fist, Sora knocked against the cool metal material and the doors slid open to reveal a tired looking Cid at the wheel of the ship. The aging blonde turned his head a fraction and rewarded Sora with a smile.

"Good mornin' Sleeping Beauty," the blonde teased motioning for Sora to enter. "Sleep well?"

He rubbed at one of his eyes as he nodded, noticing Riku was standing over by the large and monstrous windows showing every little inch in front of the ship. Sora took a few steps in Cid's direction and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm good Cid, thanks. How long have I been out?"

The pilot gave a slight cough, "About 4 hours, Riku woke up after one and came in here. Been talking to me, tryin' to keep my awake and alert. Ain't that right kiddo?"

The silver haired youth turned and nodded, his eyes falling on his beloved boyfriend. "Come over here."

Sora didn't disobey the order and closed the gap between him and Riku. Immediately the taller of the two embraced the other and planted a kiss against his forehead. The brunet blushed slightly, knowing that Cid was watching in the back. But there was nothing for Sora to worry about as he and Riku stared through the glass windows, the ocean zooming past them as the sun played with the surface waters. The sun was definitely proclaiming late afternoon, what with the golden and slightly pink hues overpowering the normal blue skies. Sora couldn't help but let a small frown caress his lips at this point, knowing that they were getting closer to Destiny Islands, and even closer to a problem he was wanting nothing more than to forget about. The images of Beatrix flashing across all the screens in Midgar were still heavy on his mind, yet it were those same images that kept telling him that he needed to continue and hopefully, be the one that would place Beatrix where she belonged.

"You okay?"

Sora looked up, his features warming up at the sight of Riku's worried eyes. "I'm fine, just thinking a lot. I didn't think I would be this nervous to return back home. I mean…I lived in Holly City all of my life, but this is the first time that I've been nervous to come back."

"I'm not surprised," Riku replied, his hand massaging Sora's back, "We're going back to where all our problems started. It was in Holly City where my father met your moth- I mean Beatrix, where you suffered your accident, where all the bad things decided to fall on us."

Sora nuzzled closer to Riku. "But it's where we'll hopefully get to the bottom of things and make sure everything's cleared up."

"The first thing I need to do is find Vincent and apologize for running off on him. I can't let my mom come back to Holly City with me not there. It would be my fault if she lost trust in him for not watching me."

"And hopefully you'll be able to talk with your dad and see where that goes," Sora said as he placed a hand against the glass windows.

Riku narrowed his eyes slightly, knowing that Sora was right regarding his father. "Yeah…we'll see how that goes with him."

A loud beeping sound permeated the air, causing both boys to turn in Cid's direction. The blonde hit an assortment of buttons on a nearby keyboard, silencing the shrill sound.

"Is something wrong Cid?" Sora asked, freeing himself from Riku's grasp.

The pilot bit his lip, "I don't think so. That damn alarm only goes off when there's another plane nearby. Can't see anything though. Those fuckin' mechanics in Midgar must have messed somethin' up."

The boys didn't think to much of it as they returned towards the ocean view, the slightest black dot visible on the horizon. Sora narrowed his eyes as he tried to figure out what it was that was off in the far distance. Riku was not far behind as he had a hand cupped over his eyes as he too looked on.

"Uh, Cid, there's something out there."

Cid looked up from the computers as the dot on the horizon continued to grow. Once again the alarm went off, causing the blonde to curse as he tried to disarm the wretched thing. When the beeping wouldn't die down, Cid knew for sure what was happening.

"There's a plane out there, it's comin' our way."

Riku looked at him with the slightest twinge of worry. "But we can avoid them right? It's not like you can't just pull up a bit more."

Cid was quiet for a few seconds, the silence mixing in with the annoying sounds of the alarm. "It shouldn't be a problem, but we don't know who's piloting that heap out there. Don't worry boys, it'll be okay."

Despite the constant alarm, Riku and Sora continued looking out the windows. The dot eventually became a shape, and the shape became a distinguished ship. Sora felt his eyes grow when he noticed the red color of the flying vehicle. "It's the Celsius! Cid, it's the Celsius!"

Cid looked past the glass and he too noticed that the shape in front of them was very familiar. His lips perked into a grin, knowing that the Al Bhed sibling were flying and that they had nothing to worry about. But when Cid looked down at the screen of his computer, instead of seeing one dot representing the Celsius, he was five. He immediately shot his head up, the shapes of other planes materializing from out of the clouds. These were white and slightly smaller than the Celsius, but planes nevertheless.

"Those are Holly City Police planes! What's going on?"

One by one, the white vehicles descended from the clouds and surrounded the oncoming Celsius. The passengers aboard the Highwind could only watch in confusion at the scene before them.

X

_"Attention registered vehicle 340999, The Celsius, this is the Holly City Police Department. We have solid evidence that Sephiroth and Beatrix are aboard this plane and we will not tolerate anyone helping in their escape. Halt your plane at once."_

Rikku could almost scream with joy, knowing that Brother's signal worked and that the officials had been following their plane the entire time. Sephiroth, on the other hand, looked like he had just witnessed death. His icy blue eyes narrowed dangerously, the tip of his gun still pointed in the Al Bhed's direction.

"Don't you dare slow down," he spat out.

Brother looked over his shoulder, a scowl settled on his lips. "We have no choice, I must stop the plane."

Sephiroth took a step forward, but turned when he heard the hissing of the sliding doors. Beatrix walked in, her face infuriated as something lay tight within her hands.

"It was you! You filthy Al Bhed were the ones that took my Sora! Where did you take him? Answer me you pile of shit!"

Rikku felt her heart skip a beat when she noticed the white vest in her hands, the item of clothing clearly belonging to Sora. She wasn't expecting this, let alone the reaction currently sketched across Beatrix' face. Sephiroth walked over to her and tried to comfort her, but when she snarled at him, Rikku knew that she wasn't all there.

"Don't you dare touch me!"

Sephiroth backed of and turned his attention back to the front. "You keep going, I don't care if you have to go out and flap your arms, but make this thing go faster."

It was at that point that a shrill sound began to ring, causing an already infuriated Beatrix to fall to the floor with both hands pressed against her ears. Sephiroth looked around trying to find the source of the piercing noise, but settled on asking his captives. "What the hell is that sound? Make it stop."

Brother looked over at his younger sister, "Rikku, drana'c yhudran bmyha uid drana. Pacetac dra uvveleymc, E's kuehk du dno yht namyo y saccyka du dras."

("Rikku, there's another plane out there. Besides the officials, I'm going to try and relay a message to them.")

The older of the two began typing away at his computer, completely ignoring Sephiroth as he peered in front of him. Surely enough, a black speck became a solid shape and he felt a horrible feeling twisting in his stomach. He had seen pictures of it in hundreds of magazines, even met the pilot of it, but never had he seen it flying with his own eyes. All of a sudden, he didn't need to send a message, knowing very well that the Highwind was being piloted by one of his other idols, Cid.

"Rikku, ed'c Cid."

Bright green eyes peered through the windows and sure enough, the ship was that of the Highwind.

_"Celsius, we have identified an incoming plane, halt at once!"_

Brother would like nothing more than to follow the officer's orders, but the loaded gun being pointed at him was simply too much to ignore. Rikku turned towards Sephiroth, her eyes falling on Beatrix' frame on the floor.

_"If you do not stop we will have no choice but to take the most extreme measures. This is your final warning, we will not repeat this order."_

Rikku, for once, felt hot tears well up in her eyes but wouldn't let them fall. "Please! We have to stop the plane or else we'll all die!"

Sephiroth looked like he hadn't heard her words, but instead moved over to Beatrix and pulled her up by the arm. Her eyes were glossed over, like she wasn't completely there. She hung limply, not caring that Sephiroth was dragging her the way she came. Never once did Sora's white vest leave her hand, the clothing still held against her chest. Rikku turned to Brother, her tears threatening to fall.

"We have to stop Brother, we'll end up crashing with the Highwind or get shot down by the officials. I don't care if he shoots me, just stop it please!"

The older Al Bhed could see the fear in his sister's eyes and let out a deep, and stuttering breath. "It'll be okay, trust Brother."

With a sudden turn of the controls, the Celsius plunged down, the act surprising everyone and causing Rikku to fall back. But it ended up disorienting Sephiroth as he too fell, with Beatrix toppling over him. It took only a moment for the silver haired man to drop his gun and render him completely helpless. Rikku could see the opportunity in front of her, gleaming under the evening sun's rays. Clutching the metal weapon in her hand, the tables were severely reversed and the tip pointing in Sephiroth's direction.

"Don't you dare fuck with an Al Bhed."

Sirens, piercing sirens filled the air as the Celsius began to slow down, with Brother looking over his shoulder and giving Rikku a small smile. "I told you to trust Brother."

Sephiroth could only scowl at the blonde girl, his hands twisting into fists as Beatrix slithered out of their entanglement. She looked at Rikku, her hair hiding half of her face. "Just shoot me."

Green eyes grew, "Wha-what are you saying?"

Beatrix got to her feet, her hair a complete mess. It was the most pathetic picture Rikku had ever seen, yet for some odd reason she felt a nauseating sense of pity at the sight. Tears cascaded down her cheeks and fell to the floor below. Sephiroth could only watch, surprised to see her crying.

"Just shoot me…I don't care about anything anymore. I would rather die here than to be loathed by millions."

Beatrix cupped her belly, the unborn child residing within not aware of anything happening in the outside world. Rikku knew she couldn't shoot Beatrix, no matter how much she hated her for everything she had done. Yet the tip of the gun would not leave her face. Rikku wasn't about to let anything take her by surprise. Brother remained sitting in the pilot seat, his eyes watching as the police planes surrounded the Celsius and halted in midair. Far off in the distance, he could see the Highwind come to a stop itself and felt a smile tug at his lips.

"You're crazy Beatrix, you can't be in your right mind," Sephiroth said harshly, getting to his feet and eyeing the gun settled in Rikku's grasp. "I still have an immense amount of power, I promise to get us out of this."

But his words didn't appear to break through her little shell as she simply looked on, tears still streaming down her face. "You just don't understand Sephiroth, I don't care anymore. My life means nothing…not when I know that Sora will hate me."

It took Rikku completely by surprise. Never once did she think Beatrix was capable of maternal feelings, yet the pain on her face was clear and distinct. "My world shattered the moment Laguna died…I won't let the pieces I've fixed shatter again."

She was spewing nonsense. Beatrix was clearly suffering from some mental anguish. But figuring that out wasn't on the top of Rikku's list as she heard the heavy footsteps against the surface of the Celsius. There was a crackling sound and one of the screens settled to their side flickered on, the image making Beatrix' face pale.

"You lying bitch."

Rikku and Brother both smiled, immediately recognizing the rugged features of the Highwind's pilot, Cid.

"You piece of shit woman, to think you would use Sora as a clutch to snake your way out of this one. Rikku, Brother, don't fall for this woman's antics. She's a manipulator, and doesn't care for anyone other than herself."

The once concerned and maternal look on her face disappeared and a scowl painted itself across her lips. "Shut the fuck up! Shut up!"

"You know, I'm glad I had some input on the Celsius' design before it was made. Otherwise, I wouldn't know the codes to the ship and I wouldn't be able to talk to you all. Wasn't it you that told Laguna that I wouldn't like it, Sora?"

Beatrix' eyes flashed with horror when a figure standing behind Cid appeared, his deep blue eyes almost burning a hole with the look they were giving Beatrix. Another figure appeared, his arm positioned at the brunet's waist as he nuzzled against Sora.

"Don't worry Cid, I'm not offended that she's trying use me to weasel her way out. After all, Beatrix isn't really my mother, Raine Loire was."

The hissing of the doors silenced Beatrix' as the officials stormed in, their arms quickly darting towards the two figures and apprehending them before they could blink. Rikku and Brother watched in satisfaction as both were cuffed and were slowly being dragged out. Officer Balthier, the police official Rikku had talked with, walked up to her and smiled.

"Thank you, it's thanks to both of you that we were able to arrest these two. I'm sorry for whatever you've had to suffer, but rest assured that it's all over."

Rikku felt the tears in her eyes well up and the gun fell from her grip as she stormed back and into Brother's arms. She cried against his bare, tattooed chest, the hot tears sliding down her cheeks as she stood with Brother shushing her.

"It's okay, oui tet knayd ( you did great ), it's all over."

Officer Balthier gave the older sibling a nod of the head as he ventured back towards the sliding doors of the bridge. He could see Sephiroth and Beatrix struggling against their apprehenders, yet their efforts were wasted as they laid eyes on a beautiful looking woman with what looked like rabbit ears protruding out of her head.

"Looks like your wings have been clipped."

"No! No! I won't go! Sora! Sora! Listen to me, I love you, you can't let these people treat me like this!"

The screams rang through the bridge, with the screen exposing Sora with his head drooping.

X

The brunet stood with his face towards the screen, Riku standing eternally at his side. Cid spoke with several of the officials before the screen flickered black and turned to the boys at his side. "It's all over boys. They've got them."

They could see as tears fell to the floor, staining the surface. Riku wrapped both arms around Sora and held him close. "You heard them, it's all over. Rikku and Brother are safe and the police have them, it's all over now."

But their best efforts to make the brunet boy feel better didn't seem to be helping as they remained in silence. It surprised Riku when Sora began to laugh, slowly at first, but eventually turning into a full, deep laughter. Cid wasn't sure what seemed so funny, but he didn't dare laugh for fear that Sora would return to tears. After all, it was his crying that Cid could not stand seeing.

"She, she never loved me. Never."

Cid and Riku looked at one another, each one quiet as Sora spoke.

"All these years, I thought that if I did everything she asked of me she would say those three little words. Never, not once did she ever say those words to me, not even while my father was alive. And now, to hear her say it while she's being hauled off by police officials, I can't help but feel like I wasted too much of my time. It's almost funny to me."

Sora felt a hand squeeze his shoulder as Riku offered him a smile. "It shouldn't matter Sora, even if she had said it, do you think she would have meant it?"

It took him a moment before he realized the truth in Riku's words. "No, it would have felt empty if she had said it years ago."

Riku brought his lips close to Sora's ear and breathed in a comforting sentence. "I love you."

This time, Sora knew that those three words meant more to him than anything else on the planet.

XEpilogueX

_School's started up again, I can't believe that I'm a junior now. Riku looks good as a senior, and even better now that he's let his hair grow an inch or more down his back. The halls are busy and crowded, each stuck up student way to eager to join up with their friends as class is let out for lunch. I maneuver my way around the crowds, hoping to find a pair of sea foam green eyes among all the typical and boring looking people. When I find Riku, he's having his ear talked off by none other than our dearest and closest friend, Kairi. Her hair is now completely blonde, all except for the tips which were left her natural color. I can't help but smile at the pathetic look on Riku's face. He seems so incredibly annoyed with Kairi. When they see me, Kairi runs up to me and brings me into a crushing hug which I can't help but return. Riku walks up behind me and pulls me back, the tips of his hair falling over my shoulder as he leaves a dry kiss on my neck. I rub at the spot, disappointed that Riku left only one little kiss. We're all laughing, and I can't help but think that what happened during the summer wasn't a dream, but in fact, reality._

_When we returned to Holly City, the fist thing we did was seek Vincent. We were surprised when we found his mom already there, a complete mess as she hugged Riku till he couldn't seem to breathe. It was my first time seeing Vincent, yet Cid seemed to already know him. Go figure. We spent a couple days with Vincent and Yunalesca before we were all summoned by the grand jury of Holly City. I still remember how nervous I was walking up those long, white steps leading into the very capital of Destiny Islands. Riku and Yunalesca were surprised to find Baralai there, dressed in his usual expensive looking suit. I nudged Riku on, and before long, Baralai was embracing Riku with tears streaming down his cheeks. I stood there as I watched them, feeling a bit sad knowing that my own dad wouldn't appear suddenly and be hugging me. But when Yunalesca put a hand on my shoulder and gave me that warm smile, I knew that I was still surrounded by people that cared about me. Riku even went as far as introducing me to his dad, proudly calling me his boyfriend as he kissed me on the cheek. Baralai simply laughed as the news crews descended down the steps. It took both Vincent and Cid's combined strength to keep them away, each one asking a bunch of questions I really could care less to answer._

_"How does it feel to know that your mother was a murder?"_

_"Do you harbor any anger towards Sephiroth, for getting involved with your mother?"_

_As the officials at the gates let us in, all I did was turn around and tell them. "She's not my mother" before walking in and having the guards shut the doors behind them. When we entered the spacious and extravagant looking courtroom, I felt my heart skip a beat the moment I saw Beatrix sitting with Sephiroth at her side, both dressed in boring looking white outfits neither would be caught dead wearing. Baralai made sure to keep his eyes away from her as he and the rest of our group settled towards the front of the group. Even more surprising was seeing Scarlet there dressed in the similar white prisoner's outfits. It wasn't long before the whole story was explained and I learned that Beatrix, Sephiroth, and Scarlet were responsible for Aerith's death, Vincent's best friend. All around us I could hear gasps, some coming from our own party. At long last things had fallen into place and everyone was aware of everything that had happened. I felt horrible for Seifer though, knowing that his mother was sitting in front of him with her lips devoid of any dark red lipstick. Roxas and Axel sat towards the back and every once in a while I would look in their direction and smile. Rikku and Brother were there too, but this time accompanied by a little kid I had never seen before. I don't know how the guards let him enter the court with his face covered up by a strange looking mask._

_By the end of that horrible day, Beatrix and Sephiroth were convicted of first- degree murder among a multitude of other charges. It finally home when Judge Braska sentenced them both to life in prison without any chance of parole. Scarlet suffered similar consequences, although her sentence was shortened because she pleaded guilty and didn't run from the authorities when they arrested her back home on the islands. We all let out a deep breath as we watched the guards escort Sephiroth and Beatrix away, this time she didn't even bother looking at me. But, I think it was a good thing she didn't, otherwise I might have felt sorry for her. Weeks later, I would find out that she committed suicide. She slit her wrists one night and bled to death. For a second, perhaps one second, I felt sorry for her._

_Not long after I found out that everything my father left behind was never left to Beatrix, but to me. I couldn't even begin to imagine a fortune consisting of over 500 billion munny. It was simply too much for me to take in at the time. I was named president of every company my father owned, which is something that doesn't always happen to a 16 year old like myself. I knew that I couldn't do it on my own, so I left everything to Cid. I know that he would be a great president and continue my dad's work. He ended up hiring Vincent as his personal assistant and the two have been working together ever since._

_That reminds me, Vincent and Yunalesca began dating after a while, despite the distance between them. I was happy for Riku and his mother, knowing that she was finally happy after everything she had gone through. Vincent at one point even asked Yunalesca if he could move to the rural islands and that he could work for Cid from there, but she refused, even though she liked the idea._

_Baralai moved on with his life too. Although he managed to win Riku's trust back, it wasn't nearly as easy to make Yunalesca not completely hate him. But after a while, they began talking and they managed to keep a balanced relationship for the good of Riku's well being. He eventually left Yu Yevon Inc. and began his own advertising company, which is slowly growing into a successful business. When he asked if there were any people Riku or I could reference, we made sure to have him give Celes a call. She was definitely happy with the call._

_Rikku and Brother eventually left Holly City and moved to Midgar. Once there their business seemed to boom and it was a rare time that I could find them answering their phones because they were so busy. But I'm happy for them, and that's all that matters. Rikku still tells me that I'm lucky that I have someone like Riku, and she's sure to let me know that every time I talk with her. Last I heard she managed to get herself a boyfriend by the name of Vaan._

_Roxas and Axel are still together, although he's kind of mad at me for not letting him know where I was while he and Axel were searching for me desperately. Eventually he forgave me, that is, when I bought him another red sweater from Club Hellfire. After that, it was just like old times. Roxas was always the smart one, so I wasn't surprised when he told me he had graduated with all his credits from high school during the remainder of summer vacation. He and Axel ended up spending the remainder of their summer here on the rural islands. Kairi took an immediate liking to Axel, but Roxas was sure to keep that from escalating into anything else._

_Kairi ended up breaking up with Seifer following the courtroom sentencing. He never seemed to get over what had happened. Then again, I can't blame him. Kairi tried her hardest to get him to cheer up, did everything she could think of to make it better, but nothing seemed to work. Eventually, it was too much for her and she broke it off. To everyone's surprise, Seifer ended up seeing the very guy he had fought with during high school that had forced him to drop out. Let's just say that Kairi wasn't exactly happy to see Seifer hanging all over this Leon guy. But, if it meant that Seifer could move on, then by all means, he could do whatever the fuck he wanted._

_As for the few friends I made here in the academy, they still talk to me. Summer had allowed Hayner to get over that little incident months ago and I see him from time to time. Pence and Ollete still go to Spira High School and don't plan on ever coming here, even though they both got scholarships. Tidus, on the other hand, transferred to Balamb Garden High School and we haven't heard from him since. With Cloud gone, there was nothing keeping him here. Riku was definitely glad to find out about that little piece of news._

_Following Selphie's breakup with Irvine, she began hanging out a lot more with us. Kairi wasn't too happy with it at first, but she liked having another girl around and the two have been best friends since. It certainly saves both Riku and I from having to suffer from an earful every time Kairi has some gossip to ramble about. Selphie's happy, so that's what matters._

_I shake my head as I notice Riku still holding onto me from behind._

_"You okay Sora? Looks like you're having some daydreams."_

_I wiggle my way out of his grip and begin walking down the halls. I hear their footsteps behind me as I keep going, eventually reaching the courtyard and the sight of the massive palm trees. I sit down next to one as both Riku and Kairi take my sides. Off in the distance I see Selphie walk by, with a very happy looking Hayner right next to her. We all give them a grin as they disappear into the halls. I let out a deep breath as I let my eyes face the sky. I can smell the paupu fruit, its scent is so incredibly sweet. Riku brings an arm around my shoulders and pulls me close, I can feel his breath against my skin. I kiss him briefly and pull back, letting my hands rest at my sides._

_"It's good to be back here, I didn't think I would ever say that."_

_"Me neither."_

_"Same."_

_We sat there, watching the clouds go by as a breeze picked up. Kairi squeals as blonde hair is sent all over her face and I can't help but laugh. She glares at me for a second before she laughs too. I feel Riku's arm still around me and I don't want it going anywhere. I feel so incredibly at peace here, just sitting here doing nothing. I point at the skies as a reddish blur passes by._

_"It's the Celsius, I bet they're doing another delivery."_

_Riku nods, "You're right, let's invite them over sometime. We'll have a party, just us."_

_Kairi squeals, this time for a completely different reason. "And you can leave all the planning to me, I'll make sure it's the best one. Remind me to get some snacks for Figaro though, he wouldn't be too happy with me if I go shopping and forget about him._

_Even though I live on my own, I'm not alone. I have people that love and appreciate me all around me. I have a great godfather, a wonderful boyfriend, great friends, and two loving parents that are watching me from up in the heavens with the Faiths. I look up at the skies while Kairi is prattling on about the mentioned party. Riku continues to hold me and I can't think of any other time where I have felt more comfortable in my life. The bell rings and Kairi groans loudly. We get up and begin walking into the halls, the bustling crowds all around us._

_"Hey Sora."_

_I turn to Riku and I see his face come close. He presses his forehead to mine as our lips touch. I can hear Kairi giggling, but I don't care if people are watching._

_"It's ironic isn't it?"_

_I look at him with a little confusion, only to laugh at what he means. I look down and notice where it is we're standing. I hug and kiss him once more as I leave our embrace, with Kairi and I walking in one direction and Riku in another. I let the words tumble out of my mouth as I walk, disappearing into the bustling crowds._

_"It's where I first saw you."_

_"And where I fist saw you."_

XEndX

**A/N: And that, ladies and gentleman, is Ironic Circumstances for you. I don't regret anything, and I'm incredibly happy with everything I have written. Thank you, once again for reading. If you haven't reviewed yet, please do, I know there are tons of you that have been reading. It's been a great time for me, and now I'm sad that's it over. If you are still confused about anything, I am more than happy to answer those questions. Thanks again to everyone!  
**

**Sy Druid-**


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